You’ll have to work hard to beat any team that has manic-aggressive Schalk Burger, global hardman Eben Etzebeth, and the energy of tackle-busting Damian de Allende.
Add slippery Cheslin Kolbe, stout-as-ale Frans Malherbe and Vincent Koch, massive young Pieter-Steph du Toit, clever Nizaam Carr, finisher Cornal Hendricks, and street-smart Juan de Jongh, and you have the nucleus of a better-than-average Super Rugby squad.
Depth for the Stormers can be found in Springboks like Jano Vermaak, Jaco Taute, and Siya Kolisi, physical grafters like Rynhardt Elstadt and Sikhumbuzo Notshe, the young phenom lock JD Schickerling, or smart operators like Nic Groom and Scarra Ntubeni.
The second-biggest question mark is at flyhalf, where youngsters Kurt Coleman, Jean-Luc du Plessis (21), and Robert du Preez (22) are fighting for the starting jersey. None are as solid off the tee as the departed Demetri Catrakilis, but they can take the ball flat and are tough defenders.
But the Stormers’ biggest issue is at coach. Robbie Fleck has taken the helm, after Eddie Jones spent less time as gaffer than the ball stays in a Japanese scrum.
Fleck is a nice guy, a guy to have a beer with, but it was under his tutelage as backline coach that the Stormers managed to turn Kolbe, de Jongh, de Allende, and real fliers at wing into a stagnant unit. He is also not known as a disciplinarian, he is more of a ‘players’ coach.
However, he has his squad looking very fit, and is speaking of playing a style that uses the Cape players’ speed as a competitive advantage.
At first, that statement sounds ludicrous, given the Stormers’ recent grind-it-out style of success. But in fact, speed is their best asset.
An Etzebeth-du Toit second row, with a Kolisi-Burger-Carr backrow, and possibly the fastest outside backs in the competition (Dillyn Leyds, Johnny Kotze, and Kobus van Wyk, among other speedsters) makes a fast and fit team.
Finally, the Stormers have a dream draw in a soft conference. If they cannot win the conference, it will probably be because they have not found their flyhalf or their coach loses the team’s confidence.
There can be no excuse for not going deep into the playoffs.
Bakkies
Guest
No de Villiers, Kitschoff, Catrakillis, players off to 7s.
Bakkies
Guest
The Stormers problem is playing consistent attacking Rugby. The bonus points is now three tries more than your opponent
Bakkies
Guest
Brumbies don't fear playing in Cape Town will be a tough game for the Stormers. The Reds will obviously be a different kettle of fish.
Vic
Guest
Harry, the ultimate optimist. Long live the Sharks!
cuw
Guest
dude read around before u write - else u come out like rubbish. nandolo freuen crotty dagg will not be available for quite a few games. mcnicholl is a walking opd. he had a good itm cup but has never completed a super season as far as i klnow. as for stormers backs - their good ones may most probably play 7s - like jdj colbe hendrix . their fly half was rubbish last season. that leaves dda as the only good one.
cuw
Guest
too true - they have just 3 teams to contend with - bulls and argies in the sa conferences and the brumbies in the oz conference. with so much luck on their side, most likely will get home knockout too :D
cuw
Guest
season is not shorter, becoz in addition to the 15 games each team plays they get 2 bye weekends. infact there are more matches in the revamped conference scheme - 135 Regular Season and 7 Finals matches (up from 120 and 5 currently) also they say teams have to play 8 home/7 away or vice-versa over a two-year cycle. again the real impact varies from a few hours to get to away location to a few days travel.
cuw
Guest
the pro for the blues is a young team, who come with less baggage. the con for the blues is a young team, who have little super experience. the pro in nz conference for blues is other teams are also in transition (maybe except chiefs) the con maybe other teams have better squad depth than blues. the pro in the tournament maybe having to play kings jaguars lions and sharks. the con maybe other conferences are less competitive compared to playing 6 against the nz teams.
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks for the post Harry. This year is a tipsy turvy year for coaches especially in SA.
Not Bothered
Guest
So-so backs? Nadolo, Crotty, McNicholl, Dagg are just so-so? What a load of rubbish and the Stormers have an excellent backline, one of the best in the comp. I mean, of the 7 backs they could play 6 that have represented SA.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
My first thought was something to the effect of no Vermeulen, no chance. But on review it might be a good thing; when he has been out or had a bad game, the other Stormers players never seemed to recognise that they needed to step up and win the game regardless, like it was an excuse.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Bugger me then... let's hope it's not an omen! :))
Rugby Tragic
Guest
We can all wish mate... Tana has mana but 'I wish' that Sir Graham Henry was appointed as consultant for the Blues. Sir GH has a lot of brownie points as far as I am concerned and, it is just not right that NZ's largest city cannot garnish a team that can challenge the upstarts from further South! I say that with tongue in cheek as arrogantly the early days of Super Rugby conditioned me to believe that the good times would last forever... Hmmm it is 13 year since the "Auckland Blues" got the chocolates ...
Rugby Fixation
Roar Guru
I'm a massive fan of your honest view of the draw. The Stormers to me seem the team to beat, especially from the African group, but the finals will be interesting given a lot of teams could be facing for the first time at that point. Stormers with a great squad and a great draw, I hope they do well.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Yep Tragic... I know I'm in good hands with Gibbo. And selfishly I still wish I had Cheika and Gibbo at the helm but... Talking about new Coaches... your Blues with Tana as Coach should give encouraging vibes. I rate him big time, and although it's early days, I think you'll enjoy this season a bit more than the past few... 14? :) Go well buddy!
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Happy New Year Harry, and good luck for your Stormers this year.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Chook - ... You'll be OK mate... Gibson is a fairly no nonsense coach and might have contributed much more to the Tah's cause than given credit for under Cheika's tutelage. He had a successful apprenticeship. The success of the traditionally stronger franchises might come down to the off season recruitment in replenishing the ranks following retirements and defections - t'will be interesting.
tui Lua Manu
Guest
Stormer I don't think so The smart money will be on the Highlander defending their crown otherwise go the Chief
Harry Jones
Expert
I would like a different coach, but Fleckie is the one we have!
Taylorman
Guest
Yep, and hopefully 'this' time they put together the full package. No point being brilliant in a couple of things and disrespectful to other key areas which is something the Blues have been consistently guilty of. They're not going to win the season by running in fifty meter tries every time. They need to resource a phased game where the core fundamentals are priority. In fact I'll be disappointed if they start the season with the main talking point being the brilliance of the back attack. May as well give up there and then.