Stormers superstar Bryan Habana may have scored two tries for his new team in last week’s Super 14 victory over the Waratahs but he says he is “not where I want to be” just yet.
Ashfak Mohamed – IOL
And Friday night’s showdown against the Brumbies at Newlands will provide the 57-Test Springbok a great opportunity to show what he is made of.
Habana didn’t get many chances to carry the ball in the pre-season friendlies, while his clean break from a set move against the Lions in creating a try for fullback Joe Pietersen was the highlight of the match for him.
But he is intent on putting on a show for his new fans tonight.
“Yeah, it was good to score those two tries last week. I set up Joe Pietersen in the first game, and then Jaque Fourie sort of pushed me out of the way to get his try up in Joburg! So, it was good to score at Newlands,” Habana said.
“I am feeling in good form. I don’t think I am where I want to be, though. There is still a lot of room for improvement. Hopefully, like I was able to do with the Bulls over the last couple of years, I will be able to contribute to the success of the Stormers.
“My leadership role has played an integral part in me feeling as I do. I am sharing my experience and helping youngsters such as Juan de Jongh. He is excelling playing alongside somebody such as Jaque Fourie. To see someone such as Joe Pietersen carrying on developing and to be a part of that is really fantastic.”
The Stormers are one of only four unbeaten teams in the competition after two matches, alongside the Bulls, Hurricanes and Chiefs. But Habana warns that his team still have a lot to do to become true title contenders.
“We are only focusing on what’s ahead of us on Friday night against one of the more professional Australian sides in the competition in the Brumbies,” he said.
“We want to be contenders in this competition. To do that, you have to prove each week that you can be successful. We have a round of four matches at home now, so it is going to be important to get a couple more wins before we head off overseas.”
The Stormers will hope to not only win, but also get a bonus point for scoring four tries after missing out against the Lions and the Waratahs.
“We haven’t won our first two games for a good few years and we beat a top side like the Waratahs by 21 points. A bonus point is just that, a bonus. It will come,” coach Allister Coetzee said this week.
Coetzee says that the key to victory will be to neutralise the influence of Brumbies playmaker Matt Giteau.
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February 26th, 2010 at 10:21 am
So
Here is the pattern
1. High price signing of superstar from other province by Cape hailed as next best thing in Cape Rugby set to return Cape.
2. Do writeups via sports writers
3. Put him on Top Billing, Pasella and De Kat
4. Tell the world he’s the best.
5. get progressively more and more pissed off when he cannot turn the WP into the team that won five consecutive Currie Cups
6. Say he was a bad buy and not worth the cash paid. Question the coach’s strategy in buying him.
7. Get the coach blamed.
8. Hound player to England / France and say good riddance…
9. Focus on newest superstar bought from other province / country
10. Return to 1
PS – 11. Be disappointed when recemntly hounded player has fantastic season for overseas team.
February 26th, 2010 at 10:59 am
Reply to DavidS @ 10:21 am:
heheheheheh….
cut and paste that from your own supporters manual I see… 
if you close your eyes and hold your breath and wish with all your might… your dream still won’t come true…
Habana is pure class… on the field and off it…
just had a look outside… can see the winds of change blowing though Cape Town…
February 26th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Reply to DavidS @ 10:21 am:
February 26th, 2010 at 11:08 am
Gee die bal vir Bryan.
February 26th, 2010 at 11:12 am
We’ll chat at the end of the season
February 26th, 2010 at 11:41 am
Reply to DavidS @ 10:21 am:
Ek sien jy het weer jou poep gele en ruik.
February 26th, 2010 at 11:49 am
Reply to DavidS @ 11:12 am:
Habana will still be pure class at the end of the season…
February 26th, 2010 at 11:56 am
Reply to UFO @ 11:49 am:
Ja but will WP know that?
February 26th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Reply to DavidS @ 11:56 am:
Well the Lions sure didn’t see it letting him go to the Bulls.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Reply to Deon @ 11:57 am: They tried to keep him but at the time just didn’t have the cash the Bulls were flashing…. and they did not have him on a long term contract Deon.
Recall that he had just come off the U21 RWC and had spent U19, 20, 21 playing SCRUMHALF for the baby Lions and then Pieter De Villiers moved him to outside centre and when he came back to SA it was guess who….. FRANS LUDEKE who took a U21 contracted player and played him at outside centre… and “discovered” him…
And when it came to professional contract offer – the first time someone had offered him a senior contract Heyneke and Co just had more cash than the Lions…. the Lions did fight for him…. they just didn’t have the firepower…
Eish
Brisbane… no can’t be must be age
Age causing selective memory…
ps. He debuted as a Lion for the Boks….
February 26th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 11:56 am:
definitely…!
February 26th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
65 users online
:WTF:
February 26th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Reply to Minora @ 12:38 pm:
Record still 71 – way back.
February 26th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 12:21 pm:
Oh damn now I am only as smart as you.