Stormers gear up for Brumbies this weekend
The rugby season is in full swing and Zone Fitness has been keeping an eye on all the developments in the lead-up to the Stormers-Brumbies clash.
Pockock readied for Stormers clash
The Brumbies are eagerly waiting to hear whether star man Pocock will be ready for the game. Playing against the Crusaders in Canberra over the weekend, Pocock left the field with what looked like a concussion, leaving team members unsure if he will be able to face off against the DHL Stormers this coming weekend. According to SuperSport “[Pocock] is on track to play, but every day he’s got to tick a box, so he could fall back a day and miss the game.”
Stats favour Stormers
Taking a look at the stats, provided by Sportal, we see that the clash between the DHL Stormers and the Brumbies at DHL Newlands will be well worth a watch. The DHL Stormers have won three out of the last five matches against the Brumbies. It is interesting to note that the Stormers have not lost their last five home games. Last weekend, though, both teams lost their Super Rugby matches; the DHL Stormers fell to the Sharks 34-12, while the Crusaders defeated the Brumbies 24-37.
Carr makes history
Nizaam Carr, star loose forward of the DHL Stormers, made history by being the first Muslim to have captained a Super Rugby team, after team mate Duane Vermeulen has been forced out with a neck injury. According to Business Day, the start of Ramadan on Thursday poses a great challenge for Carr as he will enter the fray on an empty stomach. “He will have been up before dawn to down a protein shake and some steak and pasta but by the time he runs out onto the field at Newlands at 5pm, he will not have eaten for several hours. Over the next month, he is likely to lose between 8kg and 12kg.”
Peyper set to ref key match
Love him or hate him, this weekend’s face-off between the DHL Stormers and the Brumbies is refereed by Jaco Peyper. Speaking at a press conference, Stormers’ coach Allister Coetzee says, according to SuperSport, he has faith in the strength of referee Jaco Peyper to make the right calls. Coetzee further states that “Jaco Peyper is refereeing the game and he is a ref who is prepared to make the big calls and ensure that a team does not keep transgressing in the same way.”
Jerry Collins
We can’t end this story without a message of support for Jerry Collins’ family. The former All Black’s funeral was held on 17 June and was attended by more than 3 000 mourners. According to The Guardian Collins’ three-month-old daughter, Ayla, remains in a serious condition in a French hospital.
Our prayers go out to the entire family.