Stormers coach Allister Coetzee pronounced himself hugely satisfied with Saturday’s big 54-12 win over the Western Force in the opening Geo Africa Tri-Series game at Newlands.

The Stormers scored seven tries, six of them in the first half, and completely swamped the Australian franchise in the first quarter. However, the excitement needs to be tempered with the knowledge that the Force fielded what amounted to a B team for this match, with most of the first choices only being introduced in the second half.

“It is not time for us to jump up and down with excitement, and we have to make sure we keep our feet on the ground,” said Coetzee.

“I said beforehand that it was about ticking the little boxes, and that the process is the most important thing here. I just want us to be 100% when we play the Lions in the first Super 14 game in February. But our performance was fine. It was good to get it together playing under the intensity, pressure and physicality exerted by the Force.”

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The Stormers skipper Schalk Burger will not partake in the Neo Africa Tri-Series match against the Western Force on Saturday.

The big flanker bruised a quad in training last week, and as he was unable to take full part in the Stormers practice sessions this week. Coach Allister Coetzee has decided it would be wise to leave him out of his plans for this weekend.

The Western Force game is the first match in a pre-season warm-up tournament also featuring the Sharks, who face the Force at Newlands on Tuesday night before ending off against the Stormers at the same venue next Friday.

“Schalk is very disappointed that he cannot play as he has been appointed captain and was eager to lead the team in the first match of the new season,” said Coetzee.

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A freak accident cost the Vodacom Bulls their utility back Francois Hougaard which could rule him out for up to six weeks.

Hougaard was training with his teammates and mis-stepped during a training move, twisting his knee and tearing his meniscus, the concave part of the cartilage of his knee.

The injury will mean he will be out of action for at least four weeks, but it will most likely be closer to six weeks when he gets onto the field again.

This will mean that Hougaard will miss the Vodacom Super 14 opening game against the Vodacom Cheetahs on February 11, deepening a crisis at the Bulls on the wing after the departure of Bryan Habana to the Vodacom Stormers.

Hougaard will undergo a scope to determine the extent of the damage this morning, but team doctor Org Strauss’s diagnosis is a six week layoff.

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Habana a Stormer – at Newlands this am with Rassie and Rob Wagner

Pic source: WP_Rugby

Despite Bryan Habana’s move to Cape Town, the excellent form of Gio Aplon and the experience of Frikkie Welsh, Fijian International Sireli Naqelavuki still remains in the picture as Stormers wing.

In fact Stormers head coach Rassie Erasmus admitted he has a “soft spot” for the Fijian, who cost Western Province dearly when a head-high tackle – the result of a lazy, stiff arm – handed Springbok star Morné Steyn and opportunity to win the Currie Cup semifinal for the Blue Bulls last Saturday.

Steyn duly obliged and slotted a penalty from near 50 metres, at an angle, to see the Bulls advance to face the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup Final, while WP will be watching from the sidelines.

It wasn’t Naqelevuki’s only blunder this year, while his poor work rate and generally disappointing form has seen him become ‘persona non grata’ in Cape Town.

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According to Stormers senior coach Rassie Erasmus, Springbok flanker Schalk Burger will captain the Western Cape Super 14 franchise the Stormers in 2010.

Addressing a media gathering at Newlands on Tuesday, Erasmus revealed that Burger is the “front runner” to taker over from Jean de Villiers as Stormers skipper – with the Bok midfielder having joined up with Irish province Munster.

With Luke Watson, who took over as Currie Cup captain while the Boks were on international duty, having joined up with English club Bath, nit left a vacancy at both No.8 and in the captaincy department.

“Schalk [Burger] is the front runner,” Erasmus said.

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The Golden Lions Rugby Union Chief Executive Manie Reyneke have revealed that he has eight World-class coaches’ CVs on his desk – from New Zealand, Australia and England.

Media speculation has named White’s former Springbok assistant coach and current Western Province mentor Allister Coetzee as the front-runner for the position of Super 14 head coach.

However, Reyneke has dismissed the suggestion that they have already decided on a Director of Rugby, the position they advertised this week.

“The applications only close on Friday [October 9],” Reyneke said on Thursday.

“I have eight world class CVs on my desk – from New Zealand, Australia and England. There are also some very, very good applications from within South Africa,” he added.

Reyneke declined to name any names.

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