Storm warning for the Sharks

STORMERS coach Allister Coetzee is usually patient with players and the media, but this week the strain of four losses in six outings has started to show.

First Coetzee snapped at the media pack on Monday after a polite inquiry as to why flyhalf Burton Francis’ contract was not extended, and yesterday he axed scrumhalf Nic Groom after he single-handedly cost the Stormers the game against the Cheetahs.

Francis kicked the winning penalty for the Cheetahs last weekend to respond to his removal from Newlands in the best way he could, but two Groom errors led to two Cheetahs tries. There was no hiding from it and Coetzee, while still not berating Groom in public, let his selections do the talking.

Coetzee has been hugely successful in three years at the helm of the franchise but he’s never found himself in a position similar to this one.

A loss against the Sharks at Newlands on Saturday could spell the end of the Stormers’ realistic play- off chances before the halfway mark of the campaign.

But a calmer Coetzee was still optimistic the Stormers could start swinging their season back on course .

“If you look at Tukkies in the recent Varsity Cup, which is a shorter tournament, they lost three games but still went on to win the title,” said Coetzee. “We need to have the same belief.”

Dewaldt Duvenage, who was surprisingly omitted against the Cheetahs, will start at scrumhalf this week with flyhalf Gary van Aswegen making his first Super Rugby start in over a year in place of the injured Elton Jantjies.

Interestingly Van Aswegen’s last start was against the Sharks in round two at Newlands last year. He was substituted for Peter Grant early in the second half.

In the only other change Damian de Allende will start on the wing with Joe Pietersen moving to fullback in place of the injured Jaco Taute.

Sharks coach John Plumtree included uncapped wing Sean Robinson in the starting lineup while bruising flank Jean Deysel has recovered from injury to take his place on the bench with Ryan Kankowski starting for the injured Jacques Botes.

“Sean is a youngster in his second year at the Sharks Academy and looks to have all the attributes of being a really good footballer,” said Plumtree.

“It’s a great opportunity for him and we’ve placed no pressure on him to have a big game, rather that he goes out and enjoys the experience.

“Losing Jacques Botes with the form he was in is a big blow for us, but we’re very happy to have Jean Deysel coming back in.

“He was playing really good rugby before he got injured and his return is a timely boost for us. Against the Stormers you need that physicality and he’ll come off the bench and provide that.”

Stormers captain Jean de Villiers said: “Every game for us is vital now. We let it slip in the last two games and we have a responsibility to our sponsors and supporters to give them something back.

“It’s massive this weekend, but it’s massive for the Sharks as well because they want to maintain their momentum.

“There won’t be any problem getting up for this game. You have to focus on the way we’ve played holistically rather than simply the results. The two tries we conceded against the Cheetahs were against the run of play from our mistakes and we paid the price. But in between our performance wasn’t bad.

“All our losses have been close and if I knew exactly what the secret to changing it is, I’d make a lot of money. There isn’t a lack of preparation, effort or commitment but somehow things aren’t going our way this season.

“All we can do is stay positive .”