‘A huge honour’ for captain Nizaam
THE media was served sushi and a few sweet treats at a special venue for the Stormers’ team announcement yesterday.
It was a far cry from the normal sugar free cold drinks normally served at Newlands or at their High Performance Centre in Bellville before coach Allister Coetzee announces the Stormers team to play on the weekend.
The treats weren’t because Coetzee made an unprecedented 14 changes to the starting line-up for tomorrow’s match against the Sharks – probably a first in Super Rugby. It was just “something small” ahead of Coetzee’s last Super Rugby league match in charge of the Stormers.
It felt like a bit of a farewell, with even chief executive Rob Wagner in attendance and saying a few words about Coetzee’s tenure.
But both Wagner and Coetzee reassured the media at a hotel in Newlands yesterday that this gathering wasn’t a premature goodbye before he departs for Japan at the end of the Super Rugby season, or a case of the Stormers celebrating the South African Conference win.
They made it clear that there is still a playoff match next weekend at Newlands, or if results go their way this weekend and the “secondstring” side pull off a win in Durban, a possible home semifinal in the fortnight.
“It’s not party time yet. We would like to go to the final in this campaign. From there anything can happen,” Coetzee said yesterday.
“The conference win was great, but that is not the ultimate prize. We have won it three out of five times, but this is not where we want our season to end.”
Certainly, if you look at the team Coetzee picked for Saturday, it seems they already have one eye on the playoffs, and this match against the Sharks is a bit of an irritation. It’s a bit like a big bug that flew straight into your windscreen, and you physically have to get out of the car to clean it to improve your visibility.
Nizaam Carr, who will captain the team from the No 8 position, is the only survivor from the team who drew 19-19 against the Lions last weekend. There are three players making their debuts, while two players will make their first run-on starts for the Cape franchise.
There are a few players who need a rest in the Stormers side – a player like Cheslin Kolbe who played every minute this season -– and they will certainly avoid injuries to key players by resting almost their entire team.
That’s why Coetzee thinks this is the right call, despite a possible home semi-final hanging in the balance if the Brumbies and the Waratahs lose this weekend.
“We are not disrespecting anyone. But we have looked at it really scientifically, looking at players who are over-reaching and those who are on the brink of over-reaching. If you have the luxury to do it, I don’t think we have to feel guilty to do it. We are trying to set ourselves up for a quarter-final, and who knows, maybe even a semi-final, to give us the best possible chance to win and go further in the competition.
“But it’s also a great opportunity for the young players.”
This is especially a good opportunity for Carr, who has been playing some great rugby over the last few weeks.
A virus during pre-season training really set this kid back, especially after a stellar 2014 when he was rewarded with his first Springbok cap. But he is running, tackling and offloading with purpose again, and he is certainly the perfect player to lead out the Stormers tomorrow night.
Carr will be the first Muslim player to captain the Stormers, after also becoming the first Muslim player to pull the Stormers and Bok jerseys over his broad shoulders.
“This is going to be one of the biggest matches I’m going to play in, leading the side out this weekend,” Carr said.
“It’s a huge honour and privilege to lead the side out this weekend. It’s a massive task for me, but it’s a bit easier, because we have great leaders in the team. I have learned a lot from Duane Vermeulen, Juan de Jongh and Jean de Villiers. That makes my job this weekend a bit easier.” TEAMS FOR KINGS PARK Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 S’bura Sithole, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Renaldo Bothma, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Marco Wentzel (captain), 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira. 16 Franco Marais, 17 Dale Chadwick, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 20 Khaya Majola, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Heimar Williams. Stormers: 15 Robert du Preez, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Pat Howard, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr (captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Oli Kebble. Bench: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Jan de Klerk, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Seabelo Senatla, 23 Kobus van Wyk. Referee: Glen Jackson TV: SS1, SSHD1 7.10pm