The Stormers have missed out on the playoffs in the last two years, and that outcome can be attributed somewhat to the poor starts that were made to the Super Rugby season.
But Allister Coetzee says he has “a plan or two” to ensure a different result in 2015 when the Cape side begin their campaign against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
And while he didn’t want to reveal too much following practice in Bellville yesterday, Coetzee’s strategy is set to revolve around a replacements’ bench that will have to raise the intensity of the Stormers’ play in the second half as the high altitude takes hold of the Cape side.
In confirming that Damian de Allende, Nizaam Carr and Ruan Botha were all fit to play in Pretoria, Coetzee suggested that Springbok loose forward Carr could play a key role after halftime on Saturday – ostensibly to speed up the game and bring in a bit of skill and finesse to the Stormers effort.
That would mean that Rynhardt Elstadt and Michael Rhodes are set to start on the side of the scrum, as Coetzee said that he was “really happy to start with Ruan (Botha) straight away” despite him missing all three pre-season games.
The Stormers lost their 2013 opener against the Bulls at Loftus, as well as last year’s kickoff to the Lions at Ellis Park.
But they are determined to not be caught out again by the highveld altitude, even though key figures such as De Allende, Carr and Botha have not really featured in the pre-season. “It’s the third year running that we have to play away from home. But it’s something that we have to rectify this weekend, not getting off to a good start,” Coetzee said.
“If you’ve played five or six games and then go to altitude, your match fitness would be right up there. That is what we experienced against the Lions in the first game last year (when they weren’t as fit as they could be). It is a factor, and these are not excuses I’m trying to put out there. But we have to deal with that, and we have a plan or two and hopefully it can help.
“You’ve got to trust your players on the bench – you cannot have players just to come on in an emergency. They’ve got to improve the plan when they go on, and up the ante at the time.
“One has to make sure you get the mix and balance right. I’m not scared to chuck Nemo (Carr) into the starting line-up. But we will make a plan and see what is best for the team, what suits the team to have a good start and to finish well – when it would be the best, to play him from the start or the back-end of the second half.”
Coetzee said he won’t be risking Siya Kolisi (hamstring) at Loftus as he was only able to do “limited training” this week, but he is still anxiously waiting to see whether Kobus van Wyk will be able to overcome his calf strain.
Coetzee admitted that the wing options were “quite limited” at the moment, especially due to the fact that Jean de Villiers and Jaco Taute are injured, as De Allende could’ve shifted out wide if his more experienced teammates had to be fit.
He listed Van Wyk as “touch and go” for the Bulls game, and if he can’t play, then youngster EW Viljoen is likely to get the nod to partner Cheslin Kolbe and Dillyn Leyds in the back-three as he did feature in a few Stormers games at the end of last year’s competition.
The coach stated that WP Vodacom Cup centres Huw Jones and Johnny Kotze were also possible wing options.
Meanwhile, Vata Ngobeni reports from Pretoria that the Bulls are set to start Bok scrumhalf Francois Hougaard at wing against the Stormers.
Veteran wing Akona Ndungane (calf) has been ruled out, which will open the way for Hougaard to start out wide, and Piet van Zyl to wear the No 9 jersey.
Bok props Marcel van der Merwe (hamstring) and Dean Greyling (foot) also won’t be ready to play this weekend, but the Bulls will still be able to field a powerful front row of Trevor Nyakane, Adriaan Strauss and Werner Kruger.
w WP director of rugby Gert Smal says that he is still hopeful of persuading prop Steven Kitshoff to remain at the union next year. It was reported yesterday that Kitshoff had signed a two-year deal with French club Bordeaux, but Smal told the Cape Times yesterday that he will “sit down” with Kitshoff to discuss the matter. - Cape Times