Coetzee happy with ‘birthday present’
The hosts, chasing an unprecedented third SA Conference title (in five seasons), scored three tries to two as they picked up their ninth win of the 2015 season.
The DHL Stormers’ victory, their third from three starts against Australian opposition in 2015 and fifth at home (from six starts) this year, saw them move back to the top of the SA Conference log and third on the overall standings.
“I’m very happy with the birthday present. The four points in the pocket; we’re on course and on track,” Coetzee told the www.iamastormer.com website.
“Obviously we did try and get the bonus point that’s been eluding, us but it’s mission accomplished as far as we’re concerned.
“I think in this competition we need to win. We need to win next week and we need to win the following week after that, and that’s how we’ve planned it,” added Coetzee, who turned 52 on Saturday.
The DHL Stormers have two more league matches left at home in 2015, before finishing their regular season away against the Sharks (in Durban) on June 13.
Speaking about their run-in to the play-offs, knowing that three wins from their final three games will give them the SA title, Coetzee said: “We will stick to our approach and to our plan.
“I think it’s not something (bonus points) that we look to chase. We have to make sure that we win the games and then once you’re in the play-offs anything can happen, I think you’ve first got to get there (first).
“We’ll focus on ourselves, because we have got destiny in our own hands. We don’t need any other team to help us, we know exactly what to do.”
The DHL Stormers’ impressive skipper, Duane Vermeulen – who once again led from the front for his team, agreed with his coach when asked about the close nature of this season’s tournament.
“In Super Rugby all the teams are so evenly matched,” said Vermeulen.
“We have been working on our line-outs, but our line-outs haven’t been the best (at times this season) so I’d rather go for the points (if need be). If it’s in the middle of the field and you’ve got a good kicker that kicks at 80-plus percent, then you might just take the points.
“Like we said earlier this year, we first want to win and if the fourth try bonus point comes then it comes, but we’re not going out there to score four tries.”
* This Saturday (May 30) will see DHL Western Province play host to the Pumas in the first ever Vodacom Cup Final at DHL Newlands.
The match – which gets underway at 14h10 – will serve as the curtain-raiser to the DHL Stormers v Cheetahs Vodacom Super Rugby clash at 17h05.
Match tickets, as usual still priced between R80 and R140 (and valid for both of Saturday’s matches), can be purchased online, at http://wprugby.computicket.com, or from Computicket outlets and Shoprite & Checkers stores nationwide.
