JayStarr says...

I always thought JdV made a better captain than Burger (whenever he had to take over from him before), but then last season that opinion changed... JdV talked so much about being calm and relaxed that the Stormers seemed practically lethargic with ball in hand - what they needed was some urgency and attitude! This was proven in the Currie Cup when JdV went off with the Springboks and Deon Fourie took over the captaincy and got a host of fresh young guys under him (who haven't been influenced by JdV). Western Province (the Stormers) became a different team. There was the same rock solid defense, but there was an attitude and urgency with ball in hand that was seriously lacking with the Stormers, and this clearly came from Deon Fourie leading from the front, as well as the UNTAMED youthful exhuberance of the new guys (which JdV would've thrown a bucket of water on)...

So whether it is Schalk Burger of JdV captaining the Stormers this season, I hope they, at this point in their careers, are still able to learn from other players - and that they learn from Deon Fourie. Because he showed them the way to get the best out of Stormers/Province players. He was able to achieve something neither Burger or JdV has achieved in their 10 years at WP - win a cup. So whatever they do, I hope they stop their "calm down calm down" approach, and let those young guys loose..!

But before that they need to play well enough to even make the team... Because suddenly, after last year's injury crisis as loose-forward, they will now suddenly have a plethora of quality loosies... And I would hate to see Burger keeping an on-fire Fourie or Kolisi out of the squad. The same goes for JdV and Brache or Du Plessis...

Regardless, Stormers to be 2013 Super Rugby Champions !

STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORMEEEEEEEEEEEEEERS !!

Posted 09:35 11th January 2013