Stormers Focus Shifts To Local Derbies

Stormers director of rugby John Dobson reiterated the importance of shifting the focus to the massive local derbies coming up against an improving Sharks side in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. 

The Stormers reverted to winning ways this past weekend as they defeated Leicester Tigers in a vital Investec Champions Cup game to secure their place in the round of 16.

The Stormers are unbeaten in the URC, having notched up eight wins in as many games, and are well placed in the South African shield following victories at home against the Lions and the Bulls. 

Occupying top spot and boasting the best defensive record in the tournament, the Cape side takes on a side languishing in 14th place with just two wins in eight games. 

Despite this, the Sharks appear to be an improved unit under JP Pieterson and will play in their third URC derby, following a victory over the Bulls and a narrow last-minute defeat against the Lions. 

Eager to keep with the theme of winning, Dobson admitted they wanted their run to continue.

“We want to keep our unbeaten record in the URC,” he said.

The Stormers have not had it all their own way in their past two derbies, as both the Lions and the Bulls provided formidable opposition and asked questions of the 2022 URC Champions.

The Stormers had a poor first half against the Lions before turning it around after half-time and going up a gear to win comfortably in the end – and needed a late Evan Roos try to dispatch the Bulls.

Dobson was under no illusion as to the task at hand and was aware his charges needed to be fully geared up for some intense encounters.

“We have two massive local derbies. We’ll see what the Sharks’ roster looks like next week. It will be like the Bulls game again.”

The Stormers play the Sharks in Cape Town on Saturday before playing the reverse fixture a week later in Durban. 

“We want to put everything into the next two weeks,” Dobson uttered. 

Dobson confirmed that the Stormers will hope to have several key players back for the blockbuster tie with their coastal counterparts. 

“Trusting that there are no HIAs, Damian (Willemse), Warrick (Gelant), Adre (Smith), Yurie (Mathee), Cobus Reinach, Salmaan (Moerat), Sazi (Sande), and Ruhan (Nel) will be back. Ruan Ackermann is not playing, Seabelo Senatla is training, but he won’t make it next week, nor will Deon (Fourie).”