ADFSL

So the regular season is finished and the Stormers topped the log without one game where I felt they played the perfect game or dominated. That said they are No 1.

The Bulls travel to Nz to play the Crusaders and it will be a hard battle. I am sorry but I just can’t see the Bulls pulling this one off. They were like school yard bullies this year. They smashed the weaker sides but failed to beat the big guns. I would loved to be prove wrong but me thinks the Crusaders will win with some to spare.

The Sharks on the other hand will go to Aus and face a resurgent Reds team. The Sharks lost the services of FSteyn and Lambie. Steyn will be a big blow because the Sharks weakest point is their midfield (it has been for some seasons) and Steyn really plugged that hole. Lambie is not that bad Luddick is in good form and Lambies absents won’t be as bad. Luckaly for the Sharks the Reds might be without Cooper on Sa. This is a big loss cause the Reds without Cooper just lacks some magic and fire power.

My prediciton is for the Sharks to repeat 1996 when they won in Brisbarne.

So Stormers get your act together and get ready for the Sharks at Newlands next weekend!!!!!!!!!!

Well earlier in the week the BBC’s CEO Van Graan said they have signed young Pollard. Not really a shock anymore because of all the rumours during the JWC.

Today WP CEO Rob Wagner discussed the issue with the media. He said they tried from Aug 2010 to secure his signature and have been in constant contact with his dad. They did over him a huge contract but he (and his dad) decided they wanted to go up north.

I would agree with Wagner that they did everything contractually posible to retain Pollard.

The real problems lies with the structures of WP. (my opinion) I have heard many a mother complain that WP rugby just does not look after their young players like in Pretoria and Durban. This specific family told me that the BBC flown the whole family up to Pretoria to check out the facilities and neighborhood. WP just isn’t a patch on what esp the Bulls offer. They also told me that in terms of professionalism the BBC is streets ahead of WP. Now this might only be a specific case but somehow I doubt it.

The thing is neither Pretoria nor Durban is factories of young talent I would say 70-80 % of young talent comes from Free state and Western Cape with EP third. Thus WP has never really needed to whoo and entertain their young talent because there is just so many to chose from.  WP was always just looking for experienced talent because this is more scarce in WP than young players.

But in recent years then young tallent has picked up on this. And in a profesional era and with Boks aspirations the young tallent will go to the union (if they have the choice) that looks the best and is the most profesional.

In the last few seasons WP has lost out on: Francious Hougaard, Tim Whitehead, Johann Sadie, JJ Engelbreght, Conrad Hoffman and Pollard. (this is just to Bulls and Sharks)  

So WP should really think about their recruting procedures and remember its not just the young player chosing where to play but his whole family.

Congrats to BBC for signing Pollard and all the best to him.

CHeers.

Well many a Bull, Cheetahs and Sharks supporters will say that again the Stormers were one dimensional and boring and only just won.

And they will be right, BUT you should not forget that this was a very in experienced side with a Vodacom cup look to it and still they managed to win.

AC rightfully said that with all the injuries and disruptions pre-game that this was the Stormers best game of the season. I would not go that far but it is impressive that the Stormers have learned to win games no matter who is on the field.

The Lions supporters club have been saying the whole season that their poor showings are due to injuries yet the Stormers now having the same curse just keeps on wining. Yes it was only against an equally injured Lions team but still 2 of the players missing was last minute changes.

On another note I found it rich that Josh wanted to blame Mark for the loss. I can remember at least 3 times when Lions got penalties when it should have been the other way round. And there was more times than I can remember when the Lions players never released the tackled player before going for the ball. BUT that is it Mark deff made a lot of technically wrong calls but it went both ways. Mark likes a flowing open game and thus unlike DIckenson used to does not blow the game to technically. I would prefer a technical correct ref cause this normally suits the Stormers game. (ie we have no fetcher)

Anyhow this new blog platform sucks and I hope they fix it quickly I have already started reading more rugby365 news than sport24 cause of their inept handeling of this switch!!

cheers