Coetzee: Wins before bonus points

 

With about 15 minutes left, the Stormers were leading the Rebels by 13 points at Newlands on Saturday. When they won a penalty well inside the Rebels half, it seemed that a push for a fourth try and a bonus point was on. 

 

Instead Demeter Catrakilis nailed his fourth penalty of the match as the Stormers went 16 points clear. 

 

"That's why there is a captain on the field, and you trust your captains judgement," Coetzee said at the post-match press conference. 

 

"We want to make the game safe and we want to win the game first, and then there will be a chance to go for a bonus point again. 

 

"I felt it was the right decision."

 

Skipper Duane Vermeulen admitted that having a boot like Catrakilis's as a weapon, is a luxury that you have to make use of if the opportunity arises.

 

"If it [the penalty] is in the middle of the field and you have a kicker that kicks 80 plus percent, then you take it," said Vermeulen.

 

"We first want to win, and if the four try bonus point comes, then it comes, but we want the win first."

 

The fact that the decision was made to go for poles was also testament to how tightly contested the game was, despite the misleading scoreline.

 

"In Super Rugby the teams are so evenly matched, you can't just have a seven point lead and go for touch," added Vermeulen.

 

The Stormers are now top of the South African Conference, and with just three rounds of regular season remaining, the fait of claiming the South African spot in the play-offs is well in their own hands.

 

A second place finished on the combined log is still on the cards for the Stormers, as they face the Cheetahs, Lions and Sharks in their final three hurdles, and Coetzee admitted while that is still a goal for the team, getting to the play-offs is first and foremost the priority.

 

"We will stick to our plan, it [a second place finish on the combined log] is not something that we looking to chase, we have to get to the play-offs first," said Coetzee.

 

"We have to make sure that we win the games and then once you're in the playoffs anything can happen, I think you've first got to get there.

 

"We know exactly what to do… win the conference and get into that second spot.

 

"We have destiny in our own hands, we don't need any other team to help us."