Returning Ruhan Hails Stormers’ Composure And Maturity in Statement Win

DHL Stormers captain Ruhan Nel made a hugely successful return from injury, seamlessly slotting into the starting XV as if he had never been away. Delivering a commanding performance against the Vodacom Bulls, he led his side to a comfortable victory this past weekend.

Not one to take all the plaudits, Nel was swift in his admiration for some fellow backline players as the Stormers negotiated a difficult period when they were down to just 13 men.

They did so with composure and poise, emerging from the challenge with a confidence that will have them feeling ten feet tall.

“Our patience when we were 13 on the field was exceptional; there was no panic among us,” said Nel.

“It’s a sign of maturity as well. I thought Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomzeulu) and Gaza (Damian Willemse) controlled things beautifully. We can easily get loose, especially on attack – we have so much attacking ability, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to force-create stuff,” he explained further.

“I thought the way we stuck to the plan and continued to put pressure on them even with 13 guys on the field is a true testament to our character and the hard work we’ve put in over the last few weeks,” said the proud captain. 

That the Stormers put in such an emphatic performance in their 32-19 victory, having lost three consecutive games, has reminded those watching of the side’s ability when key players return. However, Nel deemed getting back to basics imperative, with a return to the Stormers’ traditional way of playing rugby.

“Post the three losses, the coaches were dissecting what went wrong,” he said. 

“Once you stop drifting away from basics where things become loose, not broken, but it’s just loose, that gives teams entry points, so it’s a couple of things we had to sharpen up.”

“The Stormers are built on the set piece, a great defensive system, and guys that can chase kicks. Personally, being on the sidelines injured it looked as if we dropped off,” admitted Nel.

Damien Willemse capped off his return to the starting lineup with a man-of-the-match performance, and despite the X-factor and individual ability of several players, Nel credited the engine of the side, allowing them to flourish at their own game, rather than the other way round.

“It’s so easy to give the ball to Sacha, Damian and Warrick (Gelant) and say, go do your magic, get us points, but it’s the opposite,” Nel said. “Those guys get going when the team is going forward and when everyone has a role to perform and does their job.” 

With the South African derbies now completed, and three consecutive away games behind them, the Stormers can look forward to a return to DHL Stadium in Cape Town and cast their eye on a run of games where maximum points will be pursued.

Citing all the hard work done off the field, the Stormers will be focused on concluding the season on a high note. 

“It’s a cliche, but it’s about doing the basics well. We had to get back to our identity, and through that, the brand of Stormers rugby just naturally comes through for us. The alignment between the boys has been much better. The plans were clear, communication was flowing, the way we took in information was good, and that translated to our performance. So credit to the boys and the coaches.”