Stormers assistant coach Rito Hlungwani. Picture: Gallo Images
The Stormers are bracing themselves for a reunion with their former captain Siya Kolisi when they host the Sharks in their Rainbow Cup opener at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
This is the first time Kolisi will return to his former stomping ground, but Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani isn’t too concerned about what Kolisi can share about his former team.
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“Siya has been at Province for a long time, but teams are evolving and I believe we have also moved on,” Hlungwani said on Thursday.
“It’s part of the game and we had players leaving at certain times.
“We are not too stressed about what Siya might know or share with the Sharks. It’s no different to other teams analysing one another. ”
Siya Kolisi during a Sharks training session. Picture: Gallo Images
Ironically, the last time Kolisi turned out for the Stormers was in their Currie Cup semifinal defeat to the Sharks in Cape Town earlier this year.
Hlungwani, however, was more concerned about the Sharks’ kicking game, especially with flyhalf Curwin Bosch who caught the Stormers wanting when the Sharks surprised the home team in the Currie Cup playoff.
In that game Bosch punished the Stormers for their ill discipline and converted several penalties into points which formed the basis of the Sharks’ surprising win.
The Sharks have always had a good kicking game and it has worked really well for them, and the Stormers predict that they won’t be changing that this weekend.
“We just want to handle those pressures and adapt during the game,” Hlungwani said.
