Three heroes that put the Stormers back on track
It certainly helps any Super Rugby side when a few players choose the same game to deliver their best performances in that jersey...
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – MARCH 17: Damian Willemse of the Stormers during the Super Rugby match between DHL Stormers and Blues at DHL Newlands on March 17, 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
Some will bemoan that the Stormers only seem to hit their straps when they’re under severe pressure, as captain Siya Kolisi mentioned earlier this week.
But it’s undeniable that the Capetonians’ 37-20 Super Rugby win over the Blues at Newlands on Saturday was an excellent example of how traditional South African strengths – dominating the collisions being a case in point and being direct – can be combined with skill.
“I’m pretty stoked with that win,” said coach Robbie Fleck.
“There was great focus on Thursday and Friday’s sessions after all the disruptions with the flu outbreak and we took that intensity into this game. The way we played in that first half set the tone. The little passes stuck and everything we worked on pretty much came off.”
However, perhaps the biggest secret to the Stormers’ success was the fact that three players delivered their best performances to date in the blue jersey.
And those contributions simply can’t be underestimated.
DAMIAN WILLEMSE (FLYHALF)
The 19-year-old is rightly considered a prodigy and in this game, he illustrated why.
Willemse, a Junior Springbok, pulled the strings well in midfield as he distributed efficiently but also showed a willingness to attack the line.
He also delivered a flawless kicking display, contributing 17 points via four conversions and three penalties.
Defensively, there’s still work to be done on the consistency of his tackling as Willemse missed five during the game.
That count though can be smoothed over by the fact that he still managed to complete nine.
JJ ENGELBRECHT (WING)
Most rugby folk know him as the failed Springbok centre from the Heyneke Meyer era but the experienced 29-year-old played his best game in ages, ironically in the position where he actually made his mark initially.
Engelbrecht was tireless and looking for work all the time.
His crafty diagonal run into space set EW Viljoen’s first try early in the match before he broke out of his own 22m to embark on the run that made the game safe for the Stormers.
In all, he carried the ball 126m and made some vital interventions on defence.
This doesn’t mean all the doubts about his recruitment has been dispelled but their certainly now less.
RAMONE SAMUELS (HOOKER)
At the start of this campaign, Samuels was going to be nothing more than a deputy for Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi.
That was understandable given that experience in the No 2 jersey is limited.
Then Mbonambi had to have an emergency appendix operation, thrusting Samuels into a leading role.
It hadn’t been an easy ride before the 23-year-old – elder brother of Willemse – produced at stirring performance this weekend.
His communication in the line-outs was good and he never shied away from the collisions.
“Our attention to detail on defence was excellent,” said Fleck.
Samuels epitomised that: he completed 13 tackles.
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