Stormers trying to keep it simple
THERE’S nothing like some mind games before a big rugby match. It just adds some spice to what is going to be a mouth-watering affair.
The weather that the Stormers and the Chiefs will face in their Super Rugby quarter-final tonight has been the big talking point going into the match. There have been lots of questions about the teams’ style of play in possibly wet conditions and in a knockout match, especially because both sides like keeping the ball alive.
Chiefs coach Davie Rennie fired the first shot this week. He said his team would play their natural attacking game but he didn’t think the Stormers had the courage to use their new, all-encompassing style of play in the wet in a quarter-final.
“We haven’t played in too much rain this year. We did against the Crusaders a couple of weeks ago and I think we did a good job dealing with that. If it rains, we’ll still play,” Rennie said. “I guess the question is, will they still play in the rain? And I’m not sure.”
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck said Rennie was telling the truth that his Chiefs team were not going to supress their natural instincts. But Fleck kept his cards close to his chest when he was asked how his team would be going about their own business.
“I don’t think he’s bluffing, I think they’re going to play rugby. We watched them against the Crusaders in the rain. They certainly did keep ball in hand. Tactically their kicking game was a bit different, but they certainly do keep ball in hand. The weather doesn’t deter them too much,” Fleck said.
“I like their attitude, to be honest. I think it’s great. It’s something that we’d certainly like to embrace as well. Let’s just see what happens on the weekend, whether we kick or run.”
Although the Stormers are the underdogs, they have also had to deal with a lot of reminders about their previous failures in Super Rugby knockout matches. In six semi-final and play-off matches, they have only managed one win, which came in the semi-final against the Waratahs in 2010.
The Stormers’ recent heartache in the play-offs came at the hands of the Brumbies last year at Newlands, when everything just went south in 80 minutes of rugby.
Fleck has been part of most of those knockout defeats, as either coach or player, but there are many new faces in this Stormers side who don’t carry much baggage as far as knockout matches are concerned. It is really only Schalk Burger who was around when the Stormers dominated all who faced them at the turn of the decade, but then wilted in the heat of the knockout clashes.
You can see that some of the Stormers’ players are using the line “writing our legacy” when they post their doings on social media. Fleck has also tried to keep it as simple as possible this week, preparing for this match like any other they have played this year.
“I think we’ve tried not to change too much. I think what happens when you play in these quarters is that you play these quality teams with brilliant coaches and you want to come up with new plans and great ideas.
“But to have one week to try and prepare and do that is not enough, you know. For us it’s really been about keeping the focus on us and keeping it simple. Taking the pressure off the team, training the way we need to play and trying to tick those boxes. So we didn’t change too much.”
Tonight, at about 9pm, we’ll know the respective game plans, and who won the mental battle. But, more importantly, we’ll know if these Stormers have written their own legacy.
Stormers: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Schalk Burger (co-capt), 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Ezebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Alistair Vermaak. Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Frans Malherbe (co-capt), 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Rynhardt Elstadt, 21 Nizaam Carr, 22 Louis Schreuder, 23 Brandon Thomson.
Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Sam McNicol, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Stephen Donald, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden (co-capt), 9 Brad Weber, 8 Tom Sanders, 7 Sam Cane (co-capt), 6 Taleni Seu, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Dominic Bird, 3 Atu Moli, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Kane Hames. Replacements: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, 18 Mitchell Graham, 19 Tevita Koloamatangi, 20 Lachlan Boshier, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Toni Pulu, 23 Shaun Stevenson. Referee: Jaco Peyper Kick-off: 7pm. TV: SS1 SSHD1.