Stormers will not mind a dogfight at Loftus
STORMERS forwards coach Russell Winter says he expects “nothing less than a dogfight’ when they face the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday.
The Stormers will host a quarter-final at Newlands against either the Hurricanes or the Chiefs the following week, and despite the Bulls’ ailing form this season, Winter believes their Loftus fixture will be the perfect challenge to tick the last few boxes before the Kiwis come to Cape Town.
The assistant coach agreed there were a few things that still needed some attention before things get real in two weeks’ time, but it’s the battle up front that Winter believes will be properly contested against a Bulls pack “that can beat anybody.”
“WIt’s going to be their last game at Loftus and a typical derby. We expect nothing less than an absolute dogfight,” Winter said.
“We want to prep ourselves and put everything together that we need to for our quarter-final. There is no one better than the Bulls to play...when they’re on, they can beat anybody. So we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
But the Bulls’ forwards weren’t the only unit Winter refused to underestimate. He also made a special mention of their backs, and said the Stormers weren’t planning on drifting from the attacking style they’ve been making good strides with this season.
The Stormers back three were devastating on the counter-attack against the Sunwolves and scored, and created, a number of tries from turnover ball in broken play, with fullback Dillyn Leyds (two tries), wings Cheslin Kolbe
hat-trick) and Seabelo Senatla (one try) all adding their name to the Stormers’ scoreline.
“The Bulls are going to properly bring it. They’re easily one of the best packs in the competition, and they’ve got an outstanding backline. But so do we. We’re going to stay the same and hopefully just improve on what we’ve been doing.”
It’s difficult to question a team’s performance if they put 50 points on their opponent. But given the Stormers’ performance in certain stages of the Sunwolves game, especially in the first half, criticism can’t exactly be frowned upon.
The Sunwolves’ low-set scrum made things tough for the hosts when it was time to pack down, while they can also confidently say they have produced much better lineout performances in the past.
Winter also added that they wanted to create their own tries rather than just capitalising on opposition mistakes.
“We’re going to make sure we keep the ball better and create tries from the set-piece and the way we want to play.”
“Our lineouts weren’t as good as we wanted them to be, not by a long way. We wanted to create better attacking opportunities.”
“We’ve addressed the lineout. It is something we must do because we lost three balls. That’s not good enough at all, especially coming at this stage of the competition.”
Meanwhile, the Stormers have received timely boosts on the injury front.
Centre Juan de Jongh, who sustained a concussion against the Cheetahs, and loose forward Sikhumbuzo Notshe, who picked up a knee injury in Bloemfontein, will be available for this weekend’s clash.
However, Scottish international Huw Jones (hamstring), scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage (calf), fullback SP Marais (knee), centre Shaun Treeby (ribs), loose forward Kobus van Dyk (knee) and props Oli Kebble (groin) and Ali Vermaak (calf ) have been ruled out of the Pretoria fixture. ATHLETICS SOUTH AFRICA (ASA) seems to be applying double standards in their selection for the IAAF World Championships, after it released a preliminary team for the London showpiece next month.
While the track and field athletes have to reach the A-qualifying standards to earn selection, the female marathoners’ were pencilled in based on B-standards.
ASA announced a preliminary squad of 21 athletes, consisting of 15 men and only six women.
Close to 20 track and field athletes who have posted B-qualifying standards, which is the official IAAF criteria, including four athletes who have earned wildcard spots for winning continental titles in Durban last year, did not make the squad.
Women’s marathoners Mapaseka Makhanya and Jenna Challenor have both been included based on their times that did not meet the A-qualifying time.
ASA president Aleck Skhosana stressed it was only a preliminary squad. “That is still a provisional team and it comes to me when it has gone through all the appeals and this team is for people to comment and ask the relevant questions,” Skhosana said.
Defending 400m world champion Wayde van Niekerk and Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya will be spearheading the team.
The final team selected will be announced by July 23.
“Before the final entry date, ASA will have to decide which of the four long jumpers, whom qualified in the men’s category, on the A-standard of the ASA qualifying standards, will be entered to represent (the country),” ASA said. “According to the IAAF rules, only three athletes can be entered per country in each event.”
The team also includes four 200m athletes.
Six men have posted qualifying times in the half-lap event, including Lebakeng Sesele and Gift Leotlela.
ASA said it was waiting on the IAAF to see whether a SA 4x100m relay team would be invited to participate in London.
According to the IAAF’s qualifying criteria teams automatically qualify “as being one of the first eight placed teams at the 2017 IAAF World Relays in The Bahamas.”