Rugby news from Western Province:
New DHL Stormers generation catch the eye:
DHL Stormers Head Coach John Dobson took a lot of encouragement from the contributions of the ‘new generation’ of players in their 34-21 win against the Emirates Lions on Vodacom SuperFan Saturday.
Dobson named a starting line-up which featured seven Springboks and they did not disappoint in the pre-season doubleheader, with the forwards especially making a big impression as they stamped their authority in the scrums and mauls.
The senior players stepped up and delivered in the opening 40 minutes, which saw the DHL Stormers score three tries to take a 20-7 lead into the half-time break.
Dobson said that while their dominance up front in the first half was key, one of the most encouraging aspects of his team’s performance was the way they defended, even when most of the Springboks had left the field in the second half.
“I thought our defence in both halves was really good. It is nice because we have got these great Springboks who have won a World Cup, but there is also a whole new generation coming through here,” he said.
The DHL Stormers mentor said that the contributions by some of the younger players had been telling, as his side eventually closed out a 13-point win.
“Nama [Xaba] I thought was absolutely brilliant, he has got a massive engine, I thought Salmaan Moerat, although everybody knows him was outstanding, Trokkie [Juarno Augustus] for a guy who was playing his first real game after a knee operation was brilliant. Dan du Plessis was back after a long time out and you can see what he can do. Angelo Davids was outstanding on the wing, defensively, chasing kicks and with the ball, so I thought there was a lot for us to be hopeful about in that respect,” he enthused.
While satisfied with their performance in what was their first match back after the COVID-19 pandemic, Dobson admitted that there is still a fair amount of technical work to be done before the local season starts up.
“There are some areas we still need to work on, our breakdown was pretty poor and some areas of our kicking game we didn’t get quite right, but to come up to altitude in the first game after a wet Cape winter and get through 80 minutes and get a result against a really exciting team that play at a high tempo, so really proud of Siya and the team,” he said.
DHL Stormers captain Siya Kolisi was impressed with the synergy that the team played with, despite being out of the game for such a long time due to the pandemic.
“We had been away and then I got to play one game before COVID-19 hit, but to see how we came together was really encouraging for us. How the new guys from different unions and the U21s coming up, how we all just connected and how quickly we made things work. So it was really good to be back, but obviously there is still a lot to do,” he said.
Kolisi himself scored a spectacular try at the end of the first half, showing great skill to leave a defender flat-footed and finish in the corner.
He admitted that he was forced to dig deep to get himself over the line after what had been a tough opening half of rugby at altitude after such a long time out of the game.
“To be honest I wasn’t thinking, I was on my haunches when the ball came my way, so it was just reaction and I got energy from somewhere and just went for it.
“I knew something had to be done, because I don’t know how many phases we played, I almost kicked it out because I was so tired and then Herschel [Jantjies] shouted at me ‘is jy mal?!’ so I carried on playing. I just went as hard as I could and I was encouraged by the fact that we could have kicked out, but the boys just wanted to play. It is at altitude against the Lions when they normally take over and dominate at the end of the halves,” he said.
Fourteen DHL Stormers players will feature in the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown at DHL Newlands on Saturday, which will give them more valuable game-time in the build-up to the new season.
“We have got a whole team in the Green and Gold game [Castle Lager Springbok Showdown] next week, so they will get better for the rugby. That is the challenge now, getting used to rugby and running and getting tackled and all that,” said Dobson.
Thankfully there were no major injuries incurred on Vodacom SuperFan Saturday, with just a few of the standard bumps and bruises.
“Ernst van Rhyn had a bit of cramp and Seabelo [Senatla] only played three minutes because he tweaked his hamstring, but that was just precautionary. That was the only forced change we had to make and I don’t think it is too serious,” Dobson added.
Fourteen DHL Stormers in Springbok Showdown at DHL Newlands:
There were 14 DHL Stormers players named across the two squads for the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
A raft of Springboks, Blitzboks and Junior Boks made the cut in two 25-man squads after an exciting live draft pick – the first of its kind in South African rugby history.
The two squads boast 13 members of the Rugby World Cup-winning squad from last year in Japan, as well as some exciting young players who will get to rub shoulders with established internationals for the eagerly awaited clash at DHL Newlands on Saturday at 17h05.
Rassie Erasmus, the SA Rugby Director of Rugby, and Jacques Nienaber, the newly-appointed Springbok head coach, selected the two 25-man squads on Friday evening during a live draft draw at the SuperSport studios in Johannesburg.
Erasmus is the team commissioner for the Green squad, which will be coached by Mzwandile Stick, while Nienaber (team commissioner) and Deon Davids (coach) will be in charge of the Gold squad.
The 50 players who made the cut after the draft picks were selected from the initial 93 players that were unveiled last week. The two squads and management members will prepare their match day preparations separately from each other in their respective “bio-bubble environments”.
The players, all of whom are based in South Africa, were drafted and pooled into two squads of 25 each by the respective team commissioners and coaches during the live television broadcast.
“The draft picks exercise was a refreshing way to select the two squads for the game,” explained Erasmus.
“Myself, Jacques and the coaches thoroughly enjoyed the exercise, but the tension of picking squads on live television wasn’t good for the nerves – I want to thank SuperSport for their support in this project and I hope our fans enjoyed something new on the South African rugby landscape.”
Erasmus added that the Springboks’ brains trust grabbed the unique opportunity to cast the net very wide in order to compile the original list of 93, and then whittling it down to 50 on Friday evening.
The enlarged player group were identified during Vodacom Super Rugby and the Guinness PRO14 action earlier in the year, and last year’s Currie Cup, while the younger players on the list have been part of SA Rugby’s Elite Player Development (EPD) programme in the last couple of years.
A number of players who are currently injured were not considered for the match, including World Rugby and SA Rugby Player of the Year, Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers, loose forward), as well as RWC-winner Sbu Nkosi (Cell C Sharks, wing), Aphelele Fassi (Cell C Sharks, fullback) and Lizo Gqoboka (Vodacom Bulls, prop).
Erasmus said the players were picked from a very dynamic draft list and he thanked the franchise teams for their collaboration during the entire identification, monitoring and drafting process.
In addition, 16 rising South African rugby talents, including four DHL Western Province players, will join the two squads for the training week.
The young players – drawn largely form the ranks of the Junior Springboks – will spend the week in camp with the two national selections before returning to their provinces to begin the inter-provincial Under-21 championships.
“This is a great opportunity for these youngsters to get a taste of the Springbok environment and equally an opportunity for the national coaches to get an insight into some of the top emerging talent in the country,” said Erasmus.
“There may even be an opportunity for one or two of them to get some match action if there is an injury or COVID-related issue during the week, but the main objective to continue the process of national alignment.”
The two Castle Lager Springbok Showdown draft squads are:
Springbok Green squad:
Props: Ox Nche*, Thomas du Toit**, Trevor Nyakane**, Luan de Bruin
Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi**, Schalk Erasmus
Locks: JD Schickerling, Hyron Andrews, Oupa Mohoje*
Looseforwards: Siya Kolisi**, Arno Botha8, Duane Vermeulen**, Junior Pokomela, Juarno Augustus
Scrumhalves: Sanele Nohamba, Embrose Papier*
Flyhalves: Elton Jantjies**, Manie Libbok
Centres: Frans Steyn**, Wandisile Simelane, Jeremy Ward
Outside backs: Seabelo Senatla, Yaw Penxe, Gianni Lombard, Malcolm Jaer
Springbok Gold squad:
Props: Steven Kitshoff**, Dylan Smith, Frans Malherbe**, Ruan Dreyer
Hookers: Scarra Ntubeni*, Dylan Richardson
Locks: Salmaan Moerat, Marvin Orie*, Jason Jenkins*
Loose forwards: Marco van Staden*, Nizaam Carr*, Sikhumbuzo Notshe*; Vincent Tshituka, James Venter
Scrumhalves: Herschel Jantjies**, Jaden Hendrikse
Flyhalves: Damian Willemse**, Curwin Bosch*
Centres: Rikus Pretorius, Lukhanyo Am**, Werner Kok, Manuel Rass
Outside backs: Sergeal Petersen, Rosko Specman, Warrick Gelant**
** denotes Springbok RWC squad members
*denotes capped Springbok Test players
Young Gun squads:
Green: Props – Nathan McBeth (Emirates Lions), Kudzwai Dube (Emirates Lions). Hooker – Morne Brandon (Emirates Lions). Lock JJ van der Mescht (Cell C Sharks). Back row: Evan Roos (Cell C Sharks), Pepsi Buthelezi (Cell C Sharks). Scrumhalf: Bernard van der Linde (Vodacom Blue Bulls). Centre: Mnombo Zwelindaba (DHL Western Province).
Gold: Props – Kwenso Blose (DHL Western Province), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Emirates Lions). Hooker: Fez Mbatha (Cell C Sharks). Lock: Emile van Heerden (Cell C Sharks). Back row: Celimpilo Gumede (Cell C Sharks), Muller Uys (Vodacom Blue Bulls). Scrumhalf: Thomas Bursey (DHL Western Province). Flyhalf: Kade Wolhuter (DHL Western Province
SA Rugby re-commits to campaign against discrimination and racism:
On 20 July 2019, on the day of a Test against Australia at Emirates Airline Park, SA Rugby launched a campaign called Rugby Against Discrimination and Racism (R A D A R).
The campaign was the outcome of a collaboration with the South African Human Rights Commission to address a societal issue that finds expression in all environments – including sporting ones.
At the time we said the campaign was to demonstrate rugby’s commitment to eradicating all forms of discrimination in the game.
We said we would not tolerate discrimination and racism in our team and working environments, but we acknowledged that these attitudes were a fact of life the world over. We said we wanted to shine a light on such instances in our environment to be part of the movement for change.
Unfortunately, that campaign went largely unreported or remarked.
Now, we recommit to that campaign.
SA RUGBY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CREDO
South African rugby is committed to an environment where all are welcome, irrespective of race, colour, creed or gender.
We acknowledge the painful inequalities of our country’s past – and its present – and that they must be eradicated.
We must maintain and continuously improve an environment that is fair and respectful, where people from different backgrounds feel accepted and valued.
An environment that recognises and embodies the fact that everyone is worthy of being heard and in which all can thrive.
We acknowledge that the only thing that separates one person from another is opportunity.
That we must strive harder to eliminate discrimination and inequality amongst administrators, players and officials.
That we must work harder to create a culture where each person feels seen, heard, and supported.
We acknowledge that South Africa’s Bill of Rights grants everyone the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion.
But we are single-minded in opposing racists and racism, and discrimination of any kind.
Ours is a sport for all; where we celebrate diversity and inclusion; and are committed to a better future for all.
We celebrate success together; and we suffer pain, hardship and losses together.
Our focus is on the things that bind us, not those that would divide us.
We are South Africa, with all it challenges, issues and disparity.
But as South Africans we have proved that we are stronger together. We will not be divided.
