Cape Town – It was highly appropriate that Siya Kolisi turned 22 on Youth Day (June 16), a day after making his Springbok Test debut, as he is fast becoming the face of the new generation of South African rugby.
Building on some of his enterprising play for the almost-reincarnated Boks in the June Tests, Kolisi continued his excellent form for the Stormers with a Man-of-the-Match display in the 28-3 victory over the Cheetahs at Newlands on Saturday night.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee felt that Kolisi was “all over the show”, such was his energetic contribution around the field. The Cheetahs pack were on top initially, with Coenie Oosthuizen leading the charge, but then Kolisi burst through Robert Ebersohn’s tackle, and it was his night from that point onwards.
He took his team over the advantage line with a number of powerful surges, with one passage of play where the Stormers took it through 16 phases seeing Kolisi take the ball up three times.
He drove the big Cheetahs forwards back in the tackle, and stole a turnover, capping a fine game with a well-taken try off a good inside pass from scrumhalf Louis Schreuder.
His non-stop style of play is what Bok coach Heyneke Meyer wants to see, and such performances could keep him in the national set-up for the Rugby Championship in August.
“Our loose trio was outstanding and the combination looked good with Siya, who had a big game, Deon himself and Nizaam. I was very pleased,” Coetzee said. “I just thought that maul try before halftime gave the team a lot of confidence, and Siya carried well in this game. It was the best that I’ve seen him carry ball – we worked on a few things with him, and it came off.
“His work-rate was outstanding again, and he defended well too. He was all over the show and defended very well. The loose trio were in sync and played very well.”
Kolisi’s flank mate and captain on the night Fourie wasn’t far behind, hassling the Cheetahs at the breakdown, and the slow ball prevented the Bloemfontein team from striking with their backs.
Naka Drotské’s men seemed to accept their fate that they wouldn’t be able to break down the Stormers’ defence, adopting a strange gameplan in which they kicked almost every ball – even inside the opposition’s half.
New Springbok star Willie le Roux was unable to weave his magic due to the pre-determined gameplan, and on the few occasions that he had tried to do something on his own, it didn’t come off.
Drotské should regret dropping Elgar Watts for Riaan Smit at flyhalf, as Smit offered nothing on attack, with his kicks also going too far anyway.
The expected onslaught from the Cheetahs forwards in the scrums didn’t materialise either, with props Steven Kitshoff and Brok Harris, along with Scarra Ntubeni, standing up to an all-Bok Cheetahs front row.
“I think our basics were outstanding in this game. It’s not easy to beat such a quality Cheetahs side – like you guys said, the best attacking side in the competition. To keep them try-less is all credit to the team. Brilliant attitude – a lot of hard workers in the team played well, great effort in terms of holding on to the ball and not turning it over,” Coetzee said.
“The first 20 minutes is a period we really want to forget, as we had up to 11 turnovers. We settled well and respected the ball, and it shows that if you hold on to the ball and get your scrums and lineouts working, you get close to scoring your four tries. It’s just a pity that with the last one, Siya lost his footing.”
Fourie spoke about how the players wanted to “get a bit of pride back”, and that quest will continue against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. Coetzee said that the Kings would be “shaking their feathers right for us”, while the Stormers also want to improve their 10th-place log position.
The coach said that a number of senior players could be back for the PE game, starting with captain Jean de Villiers (sternum), whose wife Marlie gave birth to their second daughter at the weekend.
Pat Cilliers and Elstadt may also return, while Tiaan Liebenberg, who withdrew from the Cheetahs game with a back spasm, will be assessed at training today.
Bryan Habana, who scored the third try against the Cheetahs, was spotted limping after the game, but Coetzee told the Cape Times that he “is just sore and will be managed”.
Weekend results
Highlanders 12 Crusaders 40, Sharks 22 Blues 20, Bulls 48 Kings 18, Stormers 28 Cheetahs 3, Chiefs 34 Hurricanes 22.
Latest standings
P W D L PD B P
Chiefs 14 11 0 3 112 9 61
Bulls 14 11 0 3 134 7 59
Brumbies 15 10 2 3 141 7 59
Reds 15 9 2 4 23 6 54
C’saders 14 9 0 5 103 7 51
Cheetahs 15 9 0 6 3 6 46
Waratahs 15 8 0 7 42 4 44
Blues 14 6 0 8 14 12 44
Sharks 14 7 0 7 35 6 42
Stormers 14 7 0 7 25 6 42
H’canes 14 6 0 8 -58 7 39
Rebels 15 4 0 11 -134 8 32
Force 15 3 1 11 -105 5 27
S Kings 14 3 1 10 -209 2 24
H’landers 14 2 0 12 -126 6 22
Upcoming matches
Friday: Crusaders v Chiefs (Christchurch, 9.35am).
Saturday: Hurricanes v Highlanders (Wellington, 9.35am), Cheetahs v Blues (Bloemfontein, 3pm), Southern Kings v Stormers (Port Elizabeth, 5.05pm), Bulls v Sharks (Pretoria, 7.10pm).
Not playing: Brumbies, Force, Rebels, Reds, Waratahs. – Cape Times