Message from Down Under
Sorry it took us so long to let you know how we are doing, but things were quite busy and it was important for us to focus on our first game and get that under our belt.
Well, the 2005 Vodacom Super 12 is here again and we are fairly happy with the results so far – except that we should’ve beaten the Highlanders. At the end of the day we were very disappointed and it came down to the fact that we made too many mistakes. I am very confident that it will all be fixed come Friday when we take on the Brumbies in Canberra.
While I am on the game, let me give you a bit of information on what has been happening. As you are all aware, it was a very long trip here and it took us almost 24 hours to reach Sydney, where we are basing ourselves for three weeks. It is easier to acclimatize to the conditions here in Sydney than if we were to go straight to Invercargill, (it is another 4 hour flight and 2 hours time difference!). The weather in Manly, where we are based, is fantastic and the guys enjoy a swim after training, which is both fun and crucial for recovery (so if you think we are lying in the sun you are very much mistaken ;-). It was extremely cold in Invercargill over the weekend – a 3 hour bus drive south of Dunedin. We don’t like to make excuses, but I think the conditions leveled the two teams and as I said we should’ve got 4 points out of that game.
Die spangees en optimisme bly baie hoog en beplanning vir Vrydag het reeds Sondagaand begin. Gister (Maandag) is bestee aan video sessies van ons eie wedstryd asook van die Brumbies. Beplanning vir die tipe wedstryd wat ons teen hulle wil speel het ook baie aandag geniet. Ons fokus om vinnig te herstel na elke wedstryd: gimnasiumwerk en fisioterapie, sodat almal 100% reg sal wees vir die week se oefensessies. Danksy ‘n nuwe analisering stelsel wat die wedstryde in fasette opbreek, kan ons ander spanne deeglik ontleed. Dit gee die spelers die geleentheid om sy spesifieke opponent deeglik te bestudeer en te sien waar en wanneer hy op aanval en verdediging gebruik word.
Ons is vol hoop dat Gerrie (Ghost) Britz gou sal herstel van sy enkel besering en Schalk het gister by ons aangesluit na sy wedstryd in London. Hy begin vandag weer saam met ons oefen.
Dankie vir almal se ondersteuning – ons waardeer dit al kan ons dit nie op die geliefde Nuweland ervaar nie! Hier in die “vreemde” is u positiewe boodskappe geweldig belangrik.
Groete van al die Stormers,
De Wet Barry
