Carpelone says...

A more balanced rugby would be better. All the arguments I am hearing here look like the ones in favour of PdV style of rugby imposed to the Boks. If your opponents know that you can't score tries, they will wait for you in the middle.

Posted 23:11 10th July 2012

pikes says...

@Jaystarr 13 out of 15 ! I think that's enough for me! If it was 4 out 15 and if we scored more tries I wouldn't have been satisfied! I've enjoyed every match so far! If your a rugby player and a true Stormer supporter you would have known the Stormer have always been known for their attractive rugby and flair.. And its seems that the past 10 years it hasn't been succesfull for them... They've changed there methods to WIN! This is a promise they will win the Super 15 this year mark my words!

Posted 15:25 10th July 2012

JayStarr says...

@ bokking: That's really nice to hear - thanks! Not a lot of fans from other SA teams would say something like that.

@ spliffed: Same here! Grew up on the stands of Newlands... so to see Province boys play such one-dimensional rugby, completely incapable of creating space for their outside backs and scoring tries, is aboslutely mind-numbing. And you're completely right - this is the 2nd year in a row! Last year I called for Robbie Fleck's head because of it... and this year I still think the blame should still be laid at his door...

It's absolutely disgraceful - he has some of the best attacking players at his disposal, who are playing behind a pack who dominated for most of the season, in a winning team - yet they have the worst attacking record in the competition! Even the Rebels have scored more tries!

I am not having myself told that this is the only kind of "winning rugby". The Chiefs, until last weekend, also lost only 2 games - but look at how they're playing!

We've got an amazing defense and a good pack when everyone is fit - but the next step must be to sort out our attack. And unless Robbie Fleck gets on the field, he is not the one to do it.

Posted 12:17 10th July 2012

spliffed says...

Jaystarr i couldnt gree with you more. My insomnia has been cured by the Stormers. i'm a life long fan (for more years than i care to remember) of Province and later years the Stormers. This season has almost been a replay of last season. 2 Bonus points all season and both for losing? The only suprise here is that Coetzee seems to be suprised that people are bored watching the Stormers. Right now as much as it pains me to say it, the only SA team I can see who have a hope in hell of winning this are the Sharks. But my money is on the Chiefs.. Unless they fail to get a bonus point next week and the Stormers wake up against the Rebels and get 5.

Posted 08:43 10th July 2012

georgesmith says...

Stormers are good. this is justified by their top of the table stand. they ken olso win. but to do that they need to be on top of their game all the time. at the moment, i think crusaders can stormers if they meet tomorow. chiefs wil olso push em to the wire.

Posted 23:58 09th July 2012

JayStarr says...

Good argument... Thanks for that.

But as a Stormers fan I have to admit I stood up and walked away from the tele on Saturday - I couldn't bare to watch another minute of that pathetic nonsense they were dishing up. I am not having the weather be used as an excuse - I watch the NZ sides play in cold wet weather way too much to believe that this is the only way to play in such weather...

Before the break the Stormers were winning ugly, but still looked good... But now they're winning ugly - and looking bad. And the Lions, Cheetahs and Rebels are hardly the ideal preparation (or reality checks) you need before playing a Super Rugby semi-final against one of the top teams. What if they have to play the Crusaders in the SF again? How big a step up would that be from the Rebels and another week off!?

No, I am decidedly less optimistic about our chances now. We've clearly taken a step back. On Saturday we played Currie Cup rugby, not Super Rugby. I would go as far as saying that our only hope of making the finals now would be if we met either the Brumbies, or the Bulls or Sharks flying back from Australasia a week after they flew there. If we meet the Crusaders we can forget about it... Our scrum is already disintegrating - and we haven't even played them yet. And even if we make the finals, I can't see us beating the Chiefs in Hamilton with our one-dimensional game... The Chiefs WILL score tries - then what are we going to do?

Posted 18:38 09th July 2012