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It was the Stormers’ last match before the Super 14 season starts with a match against the Lions in Johannesburg next Saturday. Coach Allister Coetzee chose largely a fringe team for the occasion, and beforehand it was said that Burger could probably consider himself the only player in the side that that was a certainty to start at Coca-Cola Park.
However, it could prove a cruelly ironic statement if the shoulder injury that forced Burger off after just 14 minutes proves to be serious. The flanker was pulled down in a robust fashion in a tackle by Boland flyhalf Dean Grant.
That it might have done damage to Burger was immediately apparent as the Springbok reacted aggressively to the challenge, pinning Grant to the ground even as his team were running in the first try of the match to hooker Deon Fourie.
Burger was in a truculent mood for his remaining time on the field, and was penalised for a high tackle, but throughout he appeared to be feeling his shoulder and it was no surprise when he left the field to be replaced by Pieter Myburgh.
It was a pity that Burger’s afternoon was cut short, for he appeared to be relishing the prospect of playing in front of a sizeable crowd that had turned up to celebrate rugby’s arrival at a stadium that is massively impressive in so many ways. Built for the FIFA World Cup later this year, the stadium is ideal for rugby and reminds one so much of Stade de France.
A total of 40 000 tickets went on sale for the occasion, and all 40 000 were snapped up as Capetonians celebrated the new venue in fine style.
The first try to be scored at the venue will be credited to SA Legends Tens player Clinton van Rensburg, but Fourie’s was the first in the conventional code and it was a fitting way to get rugby going at the Green Point venue.
Burger, before he was tackled, played his part in the buildup with an impressive off-load as the Stormers second stringers drew the Boland defenders to create the space down the left flank which eventually saw the hooker over in the corner.
Officially it was a home game for Boland, and perhaps that galvanised the Wellington union, for they put up a much stronger showing than would have been anticipated. It may have come at a cost if Burger’s injury is serious and centre Paul Bosch went off with what looked a serious arm injury, but their physical approach should also have pleased the Stormers coach for it gave his fringe players the proper “hit-out” that they should have been looking for.
The Stormers had their moments, and probably should have been further ahead than just 23-13 at the end of the first hour, but there weren’t many players on the field in this game who did enough to suggest they should be starting against the Lions.
An exception might be big wing Sireli Naqelevuki, whose bulk was used more effectively in this game than it often is by the Cape team. Returning Springbok scrumhalf Ricky Januarie was sharp at the base of the scrum and it was the manner in which he drew the Bolanders off their line that set up the second Stormers try to left wing Dylan des Fountain.
Januarie later celebrated his return to South Africa from Welsh club, the Ospreys, by burrowing over the line for the fifth Stormers try as the Super 14 group took control in the last quarter.
However Boland hung in there until then, with two penalties from Grant and then a try to lock Johann Peacock keeping them well in it as the Stormers led just 18-13 at half-time.
The Stormers enjoyed a marked territorial ascendancy after the restart, Frikkie Welsh stretching the lead with a good try before Naqelevuki was up to seize an excellent bounce off a De Waal chip-kick to effectively end the match as a contest after 60 minutes.
Scorers:
Stormers:
Tries: Deon Fourie, Dylan des Fountain (2), Frikkie Welsh, Sireli Naqelevuki, Ricky Januarie, Bolla Conradie
Conversions: Willem de Waal, Lionel Cronje (2)
Penalties: De Waal (2)
Boland XV:
Try: Johann Peacock
Conversion: Dean Grant
Penalties: Grant (2)
Spot yourself in the crowd? (Carl Fourie / Gallo Images)
