INLSA

Louis Schreuder

ZELIM NEL

Allister Coetzee acknowledges that the time for “learning lessons” is over and that it’s time to “get it right”, but the Stormers coach is committed to shielding his charges from mounting pressure to win a trophy this year.

“There’s only so many lessons you can learn, and you have to learn them quickly in the Super 15 otherwise you’ll find yourself behind the posts,” Coetzee said after a training session in Bellville yesterday.

“At this level, you have to get it right and that’s why our sessions are very tactical, and it’s quite intense.

“On the other hand, I’ve got an understanding – these are quality players but many of them are still just 21 or 22 years old, and I won’t lose patience with them. But they know it’s important to learn fast.”

Aside from JJ Engelbrecht (Bulls), Francois Louw (Bath) and Jaque Fourie (Wild Knights), the Stormers had an opportunity to retain a talented contingent of players who have left Cape Town since last season, including Conrad Jantjes, Johann Sadie, Tim Whitehead, Lionel Cronje, Ricky Januarie, Pieter Louw, Anton van Zyl, Adriaan Fondse and CJ van der Linde.

Engelbrecht opted to follow his mate Sadie to Pretoria, penning a deal with the Bulls without giving the Stormers an opportunity to counter the offer, while Louw decided it was time to experience rugby abroad and Fourie’s R20-million contract to play in Japan was well beyond anything a local union could muster.

However, even though the decision to release most of these players was a good one – given the wealth of talent emerging from the junior ranks – trading experience for youthful exuberance was a high-stakes gamble.

Cape Town rugby fans, acutely aware of a lonely South African conference trophy in the Newlands cabinet, will be unsympathetic if a lack of experience holds the Stormers back this season.

The scrimmage against the Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday afternoon presents a last opportunity for Coetzee’s team to deliver a polished performance before the season gets underway against the Hurricanes at Newlands on 25 February.

“This weekend is about selecting as close as possible to our match 22 for the Hurricanes,” the coach said before announcing that skipper Schalk Burger had been given the week off to attend to “personal business”.

Coetzee gave assurances that Burger’s exclusion had nothing to do with the fact that controversial former Stormers captain Luke Watson was likely to lead the Kings into Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Burger will be the man opting to put kickable penalties into touch once the season gets underway, and it’s therefore imperative that the Stormers attack progresses beyond a rudimentary lineout drive against the Kings this week.

It is equally vital that scrumhalf Louis Schreuder proves himself capable of fronting the Stormers’ kicking game in the absence of Dewaldt Duvenage, who only rejoined training yesterday after a long struggle with turf toe.

“Louis is almost the tactical player (that Duvenage is),” added Coetzee. “He’s got a good kicking game and a great pass.

“I’m not too unhappy with our mix (of players), it’s just the progression of those youngsters and this is a competition where they will have to progress. I believe these youngsters are good enough to play at this level, we all know they’re inexperienced but they’re good enough.

“They’ll have to sink or swim now.”

The Stormers team to travel to Port Elizabeth will be announced tomorrow.