Leighton Koopman
The Stormers are expecting a strong backlash from Leinster ahead of what could be a top-four-defining clash for the home team against the Irish giants on Saturday evening in Cape Town.
Another late kick-off (7.05pm) in the chilly autumn conditions could play into the visitors’ hands and hamper the attacking threat of the inaugural United Rugby Championship (URC) winners but they won’t make the same mistakes as they did this past weekend.
In dewy conditions and with the DHL Stadium surface a bit slippery underfoot, the Stormers played so loose that they could not get a foothold in the match and allowed the Ospreys to clinch an away 27-21 win.
A late penalty try secured the sole bonus point for the Cape side, a much-needed one, to keep them level with the Ospreys on the official points table. Things could have looked very different for the Stormers had they not scored that seven-pointer.
While they are still hunting for a top-four spot, losing to a depleted Leinster will most likely douse those ambitions. The Irish club was also on the end of a beating by the Lions and will want to rectify that in their final South African tour match.
Stormers head coach John Dobson doesn’t believe his counterpart Leo Cullen will make panic changes after the loss.
“I am sure it is not Leinster’s style to fly people out,” Dobson said.
“But it will be a totally different game. They had a 3pm kick-off at Ellis Park … versus a 7pm kick-off here, and with the pride they have, it will be a much tougher game than in Johannesburg.
“It will possibly be tougher than the match we had against the Ospreys. But we will be much better for this clash. I might be wrong but they have close to a thousand caps in their sort-of second team, and that is a big difference.”
Dobson admitted his side is under “real” pressure now.
They can’t afford to lose any of their remaining games – two of them overseas – and if they do, they will have to start hoping for favours from other sides to scrape into the play-offs.
The Stormers are in sixth place on the URC points table, tied with the Ospreys. If they fail to collect any log points on Saturday, and the Ospreys do well at Loftus Versfeld, there is a big chance they could drop out of the top eight altogether.
The Lions, Edinburgh, Connacht, and Ulster are hot on the heels of the Cape side.
“Losing to the Ospreys at home is as bad as it gets. That is the truth. Our losses (in Cape Town) have been two against Munster (one in the final) and La Rochelle, one we begrudge, in the last two seasons,” Dobson said.
The Stormers will have to select their strongest side to get back on track in the competition. If they allow Leinster the slightest breathing room on Saturday, they should brace themselves for another tough night.
Dobson has some tough selection calls to make, like the make-up of his loose trio, the halfback pairing, the midfield combination, and if Neethling Fouche returns to the starting tighthead spot ahead of Bok hero Frans Malherbe.