Is this the year of the Stormers?
Some hardened supporters (and others up north) might chuckle at that question, as the Cape side have been the bridesmaids and never the bride in Super Rugby up to now.
They have always promised so much, and even been favourites when winning conferences and topping the overall Super Rugby log. But it has always ended in tears, with a lone final in 2010 against the Bulls their only appearance in a title decider.
But after years of heartache, and yet another playoff defeat at Newlands to the Brumbies last year, the expectations amongst fans have lowered. They have voted with their feet, with fewer spectators than ever before, while the toll of a confusing new Super Rugby format took hold, with the Stormers not facing a single New Zealand team this season.
The Stormers also have a new coach in Robbie Fleck, who is trying to implement a more attacking mindset that he has termed “fearless rugby”. And while it hasn’t been plain sailing for the Cape side up to now, they appear to have achieved significant momentum at just the right time ahead of Saturday’s last league clash against the Southern Kings at Newlands (5.05pm).
They looked to be down and out when they crawled over the line against the Cheetahs at Newlands on the last weekend of May, their first victory in a month. They had lost to the Waratahs and Bulls, and then there was that infamous 17-17 draw against the Sunwolves in Singapore.
That last result cost Fleck’s team a home semi-final, as they cannot surpass the Lions or Chiefs in the top two positions.
But they have knuckled down since the June Test break, and while the Rebels and Force aren’t the toughest opposition around, they did dispatch both teams and regained some confidence. A record score and seven tries in Melbourne was followed by a 19-point victory margin in 100 percent rain in Perth, and two areas of improvement could prove vital in the playoffs.
Their scrum has been inconsistent this year, but they dominated the Rebels and Force with Vincent Koch at tighthead, while the lineouts were a smooth source of front-foot ball.
But while the backs battled to take full advantage of front-foot ball against the Rebels despite the 50-point score, Fleck feels they showed good progress as a unit against the Force.
There was too much kicking in the first half as the weather conditions saw the Stormers creep into their shell, but flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis and fullback Jaco Taute showed greater variety after the break. Du Plessis produced a couple of clever tactical kicks and attacked the line with gusto, and Taute showed the touch that made him a young fullback sensation as he ran with intent and passed at the right times in setting up Kobus van Wyk’s two tries.
“I thought the backs have actually been playing well, especially in the last game against the Force. Those were extremely difficult conditions. We were under pressure in the first 30 minutes, and credit to the Force,” Fleck said this week.
“But the team reacted incredibly well and the backs did some good things. The special plays we had planned worked out nicely too. We showed good hands for Kobus van Wyk’s try, we had a good counter-attack for his second try too. For Siya’s try, we had a nice blindside move that involved Zas and Groomy.
“So, I was very happy with the way the backs went. The Rebels game, our approach was completely different as we went in to get complete domination upfront, and it worked in our favour. We went in with a 6-2 split and were up against a very good Rebels backline.
“Our young backs have done well, and like I have said, we are missing six starting backs. Jaco was thrown into the deep end and hasn’t played 15 for a year or two, and he’s done well. We needed some leadership to take control, and someone with character. We were missing that a bit without Chessie and Juan de Jongh. As the tour went on, the backs started playing better as a group.”
One of the Highlanders and Hurricanes will be the Stormers’ likely quarter-final opponents, and both Kiwi teams have produced some superb rugby this year. They would be regarded by many as favourites in next week’s playoff, even though it will be played at Newlands.
But don’t count out the Stormers just yet. Their scrums and lineouts are firing, their halfbacks are operating well, Huw Jones could add that dynamism that’s been missing at outside centre and Taute seems to be working towards his best again at No 15. Perhaps a genuine underdog tag may just be what the Stormers need to succeed…
@IndyCapeSport - Independent Media