Stormers recharging for final push

 

The Cape side currently top the South African Super Rugby conference, with three home matches in their four remaining games before the play-offs, and Coetzee said that their bye could not have come at a better time as they look to gather some momentum ahead of the knock-out phase of the competition.

 

The Stormers coach said that while the season has been physically taxing on his squad, the mental break of the bye week is just as important as they look to gather confidence and secure home advantage in the play-offs.

 

"At this time in the season I don't think the players need to play any rugby in the off-week. Our players have recently come out of a Springbok training camp and the whole week they have been busy with rugby so it is important to make sure that they get a mental break as well.

 

"I don't think at this stage of the season we would have any problems with conditioning and players losing fitness.

 

"The big thing is to give the guys a mental break and hopefully they will be back next week with a lot of energy and really freshened up," he said.

 

Coetzee knows that senior players Duane Vermeulen and Schalk Burger will need to be rested again in the coming weeks, but is happy that they will manage given the loose forward depth at his disposal with Michael Rhodes expected to be fit to face the Cheetahs in Round 16.

 

"I know I have got to rest players, but they are having a break and resting now as well.

 

"Schalk only needs to rest twice, Duane needs to rest once and we are looking at six more games with four more league games so it will be done.

 

"We definitely have a plan and we will continue making sure we adhere to our players' wellbeing. They are having a break at the right time at the moment.

 

"The week of the Rebels Michael Rhodes will be joining team training and the week of the Cheetahs he will be back. 

 

"Sikhumbuzo Notshe is also part of our plan going forward so we are happy with the cover in our loose forward department," he explained.

 

Another player in need of a break is centre Damian de Allende who has featured in every game this season, and Coetzee admitted that the coaching staff was concerned about his workload.

 

"If you look at a player like Damian de Allende he is one of the players who hasn't missed any games, he has trained in every session and was at the Bok camp so he is overreaching and we were worried about it because we red-flagged him a while ago.

 

"That is why this break is so important for a player of his calibre and I know he will come back refreshed for the rest of the campaign," he said.

 

When the squad regathers next week they will be focused on continuing to improve their line-outs which have been poor this season and making a better start to the game against the Rebels next week after falling behind against the Brumbies at Newlands before fighting back to win.

 

"We have shown an improvement in our line-outs and want to continue that, we have got to make sure we don't start poorly and have to work our way back like we did against the Brumbies.

 

"It was basics that let us down at the start of games, so we have to make sure that we start well and understand what the consequences are.

 

"Ultimately it is important that you get it right in both halves at the business-end of the season," he added.