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Head coach wants to 'silence the haters' of emerging Springboks prospect
Stormers head coach John Dobson believes Springboks prospect Damian Willemse was “magnificent” in his team’s 30-13 win over the Cheetahs in Cape Town. The Stormers flyhalf received a lot of criticism over the last few weeks for his poor and inconsistent performances. However, he was one of the stars of the show at Newlands against the Cheetahs.
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The 22-year-old contributed 15 points with the boot, which included a long-range drop goal. Willemse also played a big role in Warrick Gelant’s 75th minute try with a sensational offload.
“The graph over the last few weeks has been steadily upwards. Hopefully, slowly, we can silence the haters because I thought he [Willemse] was magnificent tonight [Saturday],” said Dobson.
“His game control was great. That was a really tough, physical game of rugby we played and credit to the Cheetahs.
“To have him in that sort of pressure and to perform like that made me very happy.”
He added: “We want to control games with territory and I think Damian has made massive progress. We want to score tries that suit Western Province and Stormers rugby and to make people smile as well. I’m pretty pleased with that.”
Willemse, an electric schoolboy player with a seemingly unstoppable step, quickly rose through the ranks – South African schools in 2015, to the under-20 side in 2017 to become a capped Springbok in 2018. The flyhalf has been developing at the Stormers over that time, with more than 30 Super Rugby caps to his name since debuting as an 18-year-old in 2017.
Despite being used as a 10 at club level, Willemse has been used as a fullback by Rassie Erasmus for the Springboks in three of his six tests so far. As a utility on the bench, he has also covered centre and wing but is yet to feature as a 10 for the national side.
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The win over the Cheeaths moved the Stormers up to second in the standings with one round left to play. The Bulls are on top with 19 points and they are closely followed by the Stormers and the Sharks on 17 points.
The Stormers will face the Sharks in Durban the final round, while there is still a question mark surrounding the Bulls’ home match against the Pumas.
A number of the Pumas forwards have been placed in quarantine after players tested positive for COVID-19.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Good luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to comments