The Stormers may lack personality since the departure of Fleckie, Bobby and Monty and the sidelining through injury of Big Joe, Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers.
But they do not lack the resolve to silence some sceptics who have branded them a band of slowed up veterans who will be ripe for the plucking in this year's Super 12.
Essentially, this weekend is the calm before the storm before the toughest tournament in world rugby explodes into action on Friday with the Cats hosting the Stormers at Ellis Park in a match both sides will be desperate to win to get their campaign off on the right note.
And that is all coach Gert Smal is concerned with. Although his team may have become as stereotyped as modern ATP tennis professionals in a sport pining for the glory days of John McEnroe and Jimmy Conners, Smal is not paid to produce performers who might win any Oscars or make fashion statements. He is remunerated on his ability to win matches and pocket those prized points.
So while, with the exception of Egon Seconds' dreadlocks, there are no interesting hairstyles, colourful tattoos or subtle flamboyances in the Stormers side (come back Monty, all is forgiven), Smal does have a quiet air of confidence having surveyed the heaving, tackling, running and weaving abilities of his charges.
Tonderai Chavhanga, 20, David Britz, 21, Gavin Hume, 23, Kabamba Floors, 23, and Pat Barnard, 22, are the young turks in the squad who have yet to taste the pain of Super 12 torture with the Stormers. Smal realises that managing these young players is paramount to success.
"We need to build confidence progressively so that when our youngsters do come through they will do so strongly," he said in response to a direct question over when and how Chavhanga, a rated prospect, could expect to play.
"How we can guide these youngsters is going to be the secret of our success. Having said that, you can't go into the Super 12 with inexperienced players only. You need those seasoned campaigners to pull you through at the end too."
The Stormers mentor is under no illusion that the Cats, who finished bottom of the table last season, will be infinitely stronger this time around.
"They are looking like a side who are very well prepared both physically and mentally," he said of Friday's opponents.
Last year the Stormers' Achilles heel was injuries compounded with a habitual penchant for failing to play for 80 minutes. They tended to self-destruct after halftime in particular.
The big concern relating to depth and experience of the squad is in their frontrow and at tighthead in particular since the departure of Springboks Cobus Visagie to England and Faan Rautenbach to Ellis Park.
Smal says this worry extends to the tighthead lock position where the Stormers may require a heavier second rower in certain matches than Selborne Boome, essentially a retreaded flank, and Willem Stoltz, a great lineout jumper, but a beanpole of sorts.
"It is not just about winning your own ball (in the scrums and lineouts), but putting pressure on the opposition too which is also quite important," said Smal.
Barnard has been tipped as a star No3 in the making for South African rugby. But whether, in essentially his first full season of Super 12 rugby, he can consistently cut the mustard is a moot point.
Smal has already said that Eddie Andrews will play loosehead, which leaves his side short of experience at tighthead with only Barnard and Ryno Gerber, who is out for three weeks with concussion, available to shore up a position that was covered by two Boks a year ago.
That was why Smal only announced a final squad of 29 this week, leaving one place open in the hope of yet fortifying the problematical tighthead prop position.
For all of these worries, the Stormers pack was still equal, if not superior, to the Bulls in Dubai recently where they easily beat a team being tipped to fly the South African flag in the Super 12.
"I think it will be important not to change week in and week out and tamper with the rhythm of the team.
"I believe the secret of the Super 12 will be to win as many games away from home as possible, at least four would be ideal.
"We have put in a lot of hard work since November 25 and feel that our preparation phase was good. The camp was good, we enjoyed some fine friendlies and our senior players and Boks are back and keen to prove their worth," said Smal.
Now all the Stormers need to be reminded of is that if they win matches, nobody will even mind the absence of any discernable fashion statements from the players.
- Final Stormers squad:
Adri Badenhorst, Bolla Conradie, Breyton Paulse, Chris Rossouw, Corne Krige, Daan Human, David Britz, De Wet Barry, Eddie Andrews, Egon Seconds, Gaffie du Toit, Gavin Hume, Gus Theron, Hendrik Gerber, Kabamba Floors, Marius Joubert, Michael Claasens, Neil de Kock, Pat Barnard, Pierre Uys, Pieter Dixon, Pieter Rossouw, Quinton Davids, Schalk Burger, Selborne Boome, Tjoepie van den Heever, Tonderai Chavhanga, Werner Greeff, Willem Stoltz