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Johannesburg - DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee feels that his team’s Vodacom Super Rugby bye has arrived at exactly the right time to ward off the mounting attrition rate after a tough opening eight weeks and is confident his team will be at full muster when they start the second half of the competition against the Sharks.
The Newlands match 12 days from now is a massive one for both teams as Coetzee says it could amount to an eight point swing on the conference log. While a top two place on the overall log that would clinch a home semi-final is important, his team’s priority right now is to win the South African conference – and a win over the Sharks will give his side a big enough lead to significantly strengthen his team’s chances of achieving that objective.
Fortunately for Coetzee he is expecting all the players who missed the recent clash with the MTN Lions through injury back for the coastal derby, and that includes Springbok centre Jean de Villiers, who has been out of rugby since the first round Sharks match with a groin injury.
With Juan de Jongh not quite repeating over 80 minutes the form that he showed in his first full season in the top flight last year, De Villiers’ absence has been sorely felt by the Stormers in their last two matches, and not having him there has had a big impact on their attacking game.
De Villiers was a pivotal figure in the Stormers attacking game on their most profitable day of the season so far, which was the six try rout of the Western Force. His presence and his influence was missed both against the Reds and in the most recent match against the Lions.
But while Coetzee is excited about the prospect of having De Villiers and flyhalf Peter Grant, who is also expected back after missing the Lions game because of a knee injury, back in the key decision-making axis, he knows there will be a question mark over De Villiers’ ability to immediately pick up the form he was displaying when he was injured.
By the time the Sharks game arrives, De Villiers would not have played for four weeks, and Coetzee knows that could mean there will be a bit of rust to shake off, something that the Springbok cannot afford in such an important game.
“Jean was in excellent form before he was injured and we need him to be at his best against the Sharks so I hope he can just pick up where he left off,” said Coetzee.
“I am hoping that getting Jean back will help our attack. I don’t think we have real issues on attack, it is more a case of the guys just needing to finish off their opportunities. We just hope that Jean comes back at the same level he was before his injury because he was really playing well for us and he is an important part of our attacking game.”
Coetzee felt that De Jongh and Gio Aplon had both made wrong options that had robbed his team of tries against the Lions.
“It would be if we weren’t creating opportunities that I would be worried. The good thing is we are creating opportunities, as we saw in Johannesburg. There were a few instances where we really should have scored. I am not sure whether it was white-line or tryline fever, but we made the wrong choices in trying to finish off what should have been certain try scoring opportunities.
“Juan was clear and then he tried to side-step, which on a wet field is risky. He should have just put his head down and run straight.”
Coetzee intimated that De Jongh might be facing the inevitable big second season challenge that all youngsters who are an immediate big hit in their first season do, with opposition defences now being more attuned and switched on to De Jongh’s style of play and his habits.
“I think it is becoming tougher because he is being closely marked, and the defences are increasing their awareness (of his strong points). When Juan has the ball the opposing defences have to be very aware of the threat he could pose by cutting inside, and they are now making sure that the inside is well covered.”
Coetzee believes the tighter marking might have impacted a bit on De Jongh’s confidence but believes it is only a matter of time before the star backline player rediscovers his old form.
“With the defences so tight I still think he punches well on attack. He takes on defences, as he did in the buildup to the first try against the Lions when he beat a tackle and nearly scored himself. I just want to see him improve on certain aspects of his game, and I know it will come. It is just a matter of him regaining confidence.”
There is still an outside chance that Grant will miss the Sharks game, and if he does, the Stormers will have to use their third choice flyhalf, Lionel Cronje, as Gary van Aswegen has been ruled out for two to three months with a medial ligament injury.
“Losing Gary against the Lions was disrupting to our attacking game as Lionel hasn’t played much with us this year and he also has played much of his Vodacom Cup rugby as a fullback,” said Coetzee.
“But I thought Lionel fronted well after the initial mistakes made against the Lions. There were those two kick-offs that he sent directly into touch but I thought he came back well. I don’t have a problem with having him as our No10 should Peter not be ready. But I am confident Peter will be ready to play against the Sharks.” Coetzee is also expecting first choice hooker Tiaan Liebenberg to be in the mix come the Sharks match.
“I am hopeful that we will be able to give Tiaan match practice in a Vodacom Cup match before that,” said Coetzee.
