Cape Town - Given how well the Stormers have been going in the United Rugby Championship (URC), it’s pretty hard not to let the mind drift ahead to not only a play-off spot, but a role in the final.
If the Stormers manage to win it, it will be the biggest achievement by a South African team over the last two years … and that includes the Bulls’ three domestic titles.
When the URC kicked off, it seemed bizarre to even think ‘play-offs’ for any South African side.
But things have changed. Currently, coach John Dobson’s unit lead the South African charge in fifth spot on the URC log on 47 points, followed by the Sharks in sixth position with a tally of 46. The Bulls are sitting in eighth place on 43 at the halfway mark.
During the first few rounds of the competition, not many would have anticipated seeing the Stormers – or any other SA side, for that matter – so far up the ladder.
The weather, referee interpretations and the different challenge posed by the northern teams – as opposed to what the SA sides faced in Super Rugby – all played a part in that torrid start.
And while the Bulls were SA’s flagship side over the last couple of years, what happens in the URC going forward will carry much more weight than domestic trophies won during repetitive competitions.
Since rugby’s resumption, Jake White’s charges have won two Currie Cup titles as well as the Super Rugby Unlocked trophy, while they also went all the way to the Rainbow Cup final, where they lost to Benetton Treviso in Italy.
Make no mistake, the bigmoney Bulls’ accomplishments over the last two seasons are nothing to sneeze at, but going the distance in the URC should come with more bragging rights.
Sure, it’s going to be tricky for the Stormers, with home games against Glasgow Warriors on Friday and the big one against Leinster, who have welded themselves to that No 1 spot, next week.
Then there is an away game against the Scarlets, so there is still some work to do before the Capetonians can allow themselves to think too far ahead.
But looking at what the Stormers have managed to do in the competition since those trying times in Europe towards the end of last year – despite having lost some key players, major financial issues and boardroom drama – they have every reason to back themselves to get a top-four spot and envision a quarter-final in front of the Cape Town Stadium faithful.
If the Stormers beat third placed Glasgow this weekend, they could go as high as third on the overall log. That’s a very realistic short-term goal.
And if their upward curve continues over the next two weekends, every other URC goal they set from there on will be realistic, too.