Cape Town — Breyton Paulse was a major part of the first top-class Stormers team, the "Men In Black", who reached the Super 12 semi-finals in 1999.
Newlands was packed to the rafters every week as coach Alan Solomons’ team — with captain and No 8 Bobby Skinstad the star attraction on and off the field — marching their way to the play-offs with an exciting brand of rugby.
They came up short against the Highlanders in Cape Town, though, and that group advanced to the same stage in 2004 on Gert Smal’s watch.
But John Dobson’s bunch of warriors took it two steps further by finally claiming much sought-after silverware for the Mother City last season when they clinched the United Rugby Championship title in thrilling fashion, beating the Bulls 18-13 in the final at Cape Town Stadium.
And the major difference between the two teams? The forwards, according to Paulse.
“It’s obviously different generations, but I really love watching the guys go to work every weekend, and the way they apply themselves,” the former No 14 said during a Vodacom United Rugby Championship media call this week.
“The Stormers forwards have certainly come to the party. There was a perception, when I played, that we had exceptional backs, but at times our forwards got bullied a lot. And I think to a certain degree that was correct.
“But this group of forwards — guys like Kitsie (Steven Kitshoff), Evan Roos, Frans Malherbe, have got no-nonsense attitudes. And they don’t stand back for anybody.”
Paulse, who was famous for doing flick-flacks after scoring a try, also praised coach Dobson’s approach of giving the players enough freedom to do their thing on the pitch.
The Stormers are also on an incredible 14-match winning streak, and will hope to make it 15 against the Ospreys in Swansea this evening (8.35pm SA time kickoff).
“And again, it comes down to coaching. You have to give the coaches credit for the way they found that wonderful balance... because at the end of the day, you can have the best backs in the world, but if the forwards don’t do their job, there’s nothing you can do,” the 46-year-old said.
“I do feel that Dobbo’s got it right. He certainly brought in a little bit of finesse, and that’s why you see a guy like Evan Roos coming through as a star in the URC, and he got rewarded and is a Springbok today — and that is what you want.
“They can physically match up to the other teams like Leinster, Ulster, the Bulls, the heavyweights. The balance that Dobbo found is absolutely outstanding, and that’s why they can win championships. Last year was just a wonderful fairytale story.”
The South African teams have made a much better start this season compared to the inaugural campaign, with the Lions winning all three tour matches, while the Stormers are also unbeaten this season.
The Bulls have won three out of four, and the Sharks two out of three.
“What has been wonderful to see is that the guys have been much more competitive. The South African teams have certainly worked out a way to start off well. Last year this time, we had one point as the South African teams,” Paulse said.
“You’ve got to compliment the coaches in terms of how fast they learn — guys like John Dobson, Jake White — really worked it out with how to interpret rules, a squad system. And this year will be more difficult… in terms of the workload of the international players – when do you rest them? It will make it a little bit more tricky for the South African coaches, but it’s a wonderful opportunity and challenge.
“A team performing really well are Ulster. I really like the way they’ve been playing, although they unfortunately lost against Leinster. With the South African teams, especially the Lions, have impressed us a lot.
“South African teams have generally been known as robust, bullish and very one-dimensional. But a team like the Stormers have certainly played to their strengths.
“John Dobson took a couple of guys and transformed them into world-beaters: the likes of Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse — who is a world superstar at the moment… Leolin Zas, whose career was almost over.
“They found the balance between not just being bullish, but also to give the flair players like that — which I am happy to say, the smaller kind of players, like Darcy Graham for instance, who is cooking at the moment…
“John Dobson has found a way to get the best out of those players, and it is working for them. And Jake White has those kinds of players too.
“They can play tight, they can play loose. They can play with a bit of flair, and that is wonderful to see — the transformation of the South African teams for that matter.
“Even the guys at the Lions… there’s Edwill van der Merwe, there’s Gianni Lombard.”
IOL Sport