Stormers must ‘get it right’ - Coetzee

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Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has appealed to his team to get it right against the Chiefs on Saturday.Photo by Steve Haag

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has appealed to his team to “get it right” against the Chiefs on Saturday.

And he is set to give his current starting XV another chance at Newlands. Despite the Stormers having produced error-ridden displays in losing to the Bulls and Sharks, Coetzee feels his team are close to being back to their best, and that they are capable of beating the defending champions this weekend.

Bryan Habana (quad), Joe Pietersen (calf) and Frans Malherbe (neck) did not train yesterday in the extreme heat in Bellville, but the coach is confident that all three will be ready to face the Chiefs.

However, Juan de Jongh, Jaco Taute and Michael Rhodes are still not over their injuries and will miss this weekend’s game. Hooker Tiaan Liebenberg returns from his back problems and is likely to feature on the bench.

Following their video session and practice yesterday, Coetzee said the Stormers were getting better. “We will never give up, and it’s just two games down the line, and we played against two top South African franchises away from home. Therefore, we are still very confident to get it right. It’s not a train smash if you lose two games,” he said.

“For us now, it is almost as if the campaign is starting for us this weekend. We’ve got to get it right. No matter how you look at it now, I think it’s important to get points this weekend. We’ve got to get the result. It was disappointing not to get a bonus point in the first game.”

The coach identified the scrums and lineouts, as well as unforced errors as the main areas that the Stormers needed to improve if they hope to topple the Chiefs. The Stormers employed a kicking-based gameplan against the Sharks last week and showed very little ingenuity on attack.

Coetzee explained that the approach was due to the humid and slippery conditions at Kings Park, and said that the Stormers might use different tactics against the Kiwis on Saturday.

“You can’t build continuity from (unforced errors), and you can’t put the opposition under enough pressure with ball-in-hand. You can see when we hold on to the ball, we do ask questions. Even in the second half when we came out against the Bulls, we were really looking good and asked questions,” he said.

“Saturday as well – one more phase, and from there, we would’ve had opportunities. A possible seven-pointer (with Elton Jantjies’s cross-kick to Gio Aplon), it was well executed. Also, if you look at the time we spent in the opposition’s 22, that’s an indication that we are doing things right, that our tactical game has worked, but we are not converting those opportunities because of the unforced errors.

“With the conditions and the humidity, I know people would like to see us open up and play, but it’s just a rope to hang yourself. It might be different this weekend – we are hoping that it will be a dry Newlands this weekend. It will definitely be a different ball-game.”

With Pietersen and Habana sitting out of training yesterday, Peter Grant filled in at fullback, with Elton Jantjies still at flyhalf and Nic Groom at scrumhalf. Jantjies has had a tough time of it in his first two games for the Stormers, but is likely to hold on to the No 10 jersey for the Chiefs match alongside Groom.

When the Cape Times asked Coetzee if he was thinking of starting Grant at inside centre, he said: “Peter covers that position on the bench, but it’s about getting him into the swing of things. He didn’t play a lot in Japan, and the standard of rugby ... He played 25 minutes and said he was stuffed – the intensity, the collisions. He needs another half to get into it.

“Damian can progress. He had an outstanding Currie Cup, but this is a different level. A couple of small things that he needs to get right, on defence especially. He is definitely not intimidated.

“There’s progress with the halfbacks. Groomy has played well. He’s been covering the whole field, the ball gets out there quickly, he’s been doing the basics well. He’s been kicking well out of hand.

“Elton has also progressed. We took the goal-kicking away, and focused on his tactical kicking game and his line kicking. That’s a huge responsibility already. Elton’s general game is also getting there.”

AMID all the doom and gloom surrounding the Stormers at the moment, there was some happy news on the injury front yesterday. Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth has been missed hugely in the opening two weeks due

to his ankle injury, but coach Allister Coetzee said that Etzebeth will rejoin team training on April 1, along with energetic hooker Scarra Ntubeni (shoulder). But it’s still not looking good for captain-for-the-season Schalk Burger. “With Schalk, I don’t even want to put a date on it. He’s positive, and he’s running on the treadmill. But I rather tell you okes when he is ready and training that he will play,” Coetzee said. - Cape Times