Stormers eye another lucky strike
Battle with the Brumbies ‘like a Test’
LIGHTNING rarely strikes the same place twice, but the Stormers are hoping to get zapped with a bolt of luck at Newlands again when they thunder into the Brumbies in a Super Rugby play-off today (kick-off 5.05pm).
“Somehow, luck will play a part, that’s how it goes in play-offs,” said Stormers’ coach Allister Coetzee after restocking the starting line-up with a host of stalwarts who were rested last week. “If you look at all the World Cups, luck has been very, very instrumental and important.”
Forget World Cups, a lucky strike allowed the Stormers to escape with a 25-24 victory when the Brumbies visited Cape Town in round 13 earlier this year.
Wallabies’ flyhalf Christian Lealiifano, who will run out for his 100th Super Rugby match today, fluffed a straightforward conversion of David Pocock’s fourth-quarter try, and it cost the Brumbies what would have been their first win at Newlands since February 2010.
On that day, fortune f avoured the tourists as Brumbies’ fetcher George Smith intercepted an ill-advised pass from prop Brok Harris inside Stormers’ territory and ran it back to wrap up a narrow 19-17 victory.
That was one of several disappointing results, some influenced by chance incidents, which have since altered Coetzee’s coaching outlook – there is no longer any latitude for front-row forwards to fling speculative passes inside their own half.
The Stormers’ coach appears to have taken on board the costly lessons of a successful but dour 2012 campaign, and the noble but doomed pursuit of tries in 2013 and 2014.
This season, with the exception of a relapse from round five through to round eight, he has maximised the counter-striking ability of Super Rugby’s smallest backline by harnessing one of the competition’s stingiest defensive systems in the application of percentage tactics.
A concrete scrum, powered by the likes of Steven Kitshoff, Scarra Ntubeni, Bongi Mbonambi and Eben Etzebeth, has set the foundation for flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis to kick the Stormers behind enemy lines.
These gains have been backed up by the tireless defensive efforts of Duane Vermeulen, Siya Kolisi, Michael Rhodes and Nizaam Carr, to name a few, while electric fullback Cheslin Kolbe, midfield thumper Damian de Allende and playmaker Dillyn Leyds have thrived on opportunities from set-piece territory and turnovers.
A third SA Conference title, and a return to the play-offs for the first time in three seasons, have been the just reward.
In the past, accountability for on-field decision-making was vaguely attributed to a leadership collective. Today, Coetzee expects his troops to follow instructions. “You have got to take all the points coming your way,” he said. “We’ve one of the best goal-kickers in the competition and must capitalise on that.”
Catrakilis has converted an amazing 57 of 64 attempts at goal – including six of seven, and a drop-goal against the Brumbies in May. And Coetzee appreciates the tactical value of the Montpellierbound pivot.
“You have to take the opportunities presented to you,” added the coach. “It’s also about setting up to take points when they’re on offer – and if you’ve got a No 10 that can knock it through the poles, set him up for those opportunities.”
Experience will see the Stor mers favour points on the scoreboard over style points today in what both camps are expecting to be an elimination match played at Test-like intensity.
“It’s going to be no quarter asked or given. If you make one mistake, you’ll pay dearly for it, I’m sure,” said Coetzee.
The Brumbies also adhere to the sober analytics of a risk-reward approach, as reflected by the fact that only two of their 45 tries scored this season originated in their own half.
“They simply don’t play rugby in their half,” said Coetzee. “They’re a distancekicking side, and they’ll try to pin Cheslin and the wingers down with long kicks.
“For us it’s about being composed and having patience. The Brumbies are a team with a huge kicking game, and I don’t think we should be lured into any style of play that is against the game that we’ve played this season.
“We will be tested by their distance kicking game, so we’ll have to make good decisions at the back and capitalise when it’s on and not look to create. “Opportunities will come.” Such opportunities may ultimately come from a fortunate bounce of the ball but, as our golfing great Gary Player famously said: “The more I practise, the luckier I get.”
Coetzee has for much of the season brought his experience to bear, reducing luck to a bit-part in the Stormers’ quest to win a Newlands play-off for the first time since 2010 – and ultimately a maiden championship.