The Stormers have built impressive depth and have worked out how to win, even when their best players are unavailable.
What has been most impressive about the Stormers’ stunning start to the season is the impressive depth that they are building, and their ability to keep winning despite not having many of their best players available.
It is something that the Sharks have surprisingly been unable to do, despite having a very strong squad, which is why they struggle so much when their Springbok stars are unavailable.
However, the Stormers seem to have cracked the code, as shown by their brilliant seven game winning run, which includes a 35-0 blanking of defending United Rugby Championship (URC) defending champs Leinster at home, and impressive away wins over Munster (27-21) and Benetton (31-16).
They then showed over the past weekend that they can continue that form in the Champions Cup by beating Avrion Bayonnais (26-17) in France, with a team that was missing basically a full starting side.
Director of Rugby John Dobson was admittedly thrilled with what they are building, and with the form of the players that have been putting their hands up.
“We’ve been building this group the whole time. You could name a Stormers XV that didn’t play tonight (against Bayonne),” said Dobson.
“Damian Willemse, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Seabelo Senatla, Warrick Gelant, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Jurie Matthee, Cobus Reinach, Stefan Ungerer, Oli Kebble, Vernon Matongo, Frans Malherbe, Zach Porthen, Ruben van Heerden, Deon Fourie, Louw Nel, Keke Morabe the list goes on.
“It’s a really strong group, and nights like this show it.”
La Rochelle
The Stormers will thus be very confident heading into their “home” Champions Cup clash with La Rochelle in Gqeberha on Saturday, as they will have a number of those star players back for the game.
Springboks Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Willemse and Reinach are all available for selection, along with Gelant, who was a late withdrawal from the Bayonne match due to illness, and Suleiman Hartzenberg, who is back in training after his injury.
Young props Porthen and Matongo will also be back in the selection mix, and putting some pressure on the senior guys who have been impressing over the season so far.
A thrilling encounter is potentially on the cards, as the last two matches between these two went down to the wire, with former flyhalf Manie Libbok slotting a last gasp conversion to see them win 21-20 in the pool stage, before he then missed his late conversion in the last 16 as they lost 22-21.
If the Stormers can continue their unbeaten run and get another good win this weekend, it will put them in a great position to secure a home Champions Cup playoff.
The match will also be vital for the Stormers in terms of keeping their winning momentum going ahead of a tricky URC match-up against the Lions back in Cape Town the following week.
