Stormers provide SA with Super 12 tonic
At a time when South Africa's Tri-Nations Test prospects needed a boost, left wing Pieter Rossouw emerged from a worrying spell off the boil to grab two tries and the share of the glory with co-Springbok wing, Breyton Paulse, during the Stormers' heartening 39-18 Super 12 win over the Blues in Auckland.
It was a win which Stormers' coach, Alan Solomons, rates as "significant" both for Super 12 and as a yardstick for the big Test matches ahead. It has also delighted national supremo Nick Mallett. "He left a message on my cell to say he was very happy with the style of rugby we produced," said Solomons.
As Mallett's right hand man, the Stormers' mastermind has a close affinity with the SA coach and his squad have gone a long way to dispelling the growing local perception - happily nurtured in New Zealand - that our teams have lost the ability to win away from home.
For the first time an SA squad has won back-to-back Super 12 games in New Zealand. "It could be a watershed for our rugby," said Solomons
"What has pleased me most is that we have scored twelve tries in three matches in New Zealand - the five against the Blues, were all scored by backs. We took a bonus point for four tries in losing to the Crusaders and fell just one try short of another bonus in beating the Chiefs last week," said Solomons.
"And what's more it has been done without five hardened internationals in Bob Skinstad, Brendan Venter, Selborne Boome, Robbie Brink and Percy Montgomery," he added, "Hopefully we'll have Percy back for the Reds' match."
Solomons is overjoyed at the emergence of several previously untried and relatively unknown players at top level. "De Wet Barry, Chean Roux, Hendrik Gerber and Brett Barrett are just four examples of wonderful talent coming to the party when given the opportunity."
And come to the party they did at Eden Park where Paulse (2), Rossouw (2) and Robbie Fleck stunned the terraces as the Blues' own Super 12 hopes nosedived to defeat. "We are not going to let the win go to our heads," cautioned the Stormers' coach. "I've already told the players that we need to keep our feet on the ground for the next one. Super 12 is about staying focussed on one match at a time."
Ten points out of a possible 15 on tour has elevated the Stormers into genuine top four candidates - currently in fifth place on 17 points, eight behind the galloping Brumbies on 25 - and they are hoping to avoid the same traps the Bulls fell into during their 34-15 defeat by the Reds.
"We'll be having another good look at the match tape," said Solomons but clearly the Stormers wont give danger men like Tim Horan and Daniel Herbert the open spaces they found to exploit and punish the wounded Bulls.
Coach Heyneke Meyer, like Solomons, closely linked to Mallett and the national squad, is fast becoming exasperated by the collective inability of the Bulls' backs to function as a cohesive unit, undoing much of the valiant efforts of his hard-working forwards.
Current Test flyhalf Jannie de Beer's confidence is waning in a struggling backline and Meyer faces several ticklish selection posers if the Bulls are not to be swamped in the remaining three tour matches against the Chiefs, Blues and champions, Crusaders.
Scorers
Stormers 39 - tries: Robbie Fleck, Pieter Rossouw (2), Breyton Paulse (2); penalties: Braam van Straaten; drop goal: Dan van Zyl; conversions: Van Straaten (4).
Blues 18 - tries: Andrew Blowers, Craig Dowd; penalties: Adrian Cashmore (2); conversions: Cashmore.
Reds 34 - tries: Tim Horan, Matt Cockbain, Sam Cordinbgley, Toutai Kefu; penalties: Elton Flatley (2); conversions: Flatley (3), Shane Drahm.
Bulls 15 - Bennie Nortje, Deon de Kock; penalties: Jannie de Beer; conversions: Jaco van der Westhuizen.