The Stormers’ unbeaten start to the Vodacom URC season has been built less on flamboyance and more on pragmatism, writes LINDIZ VAN ZILLA.
The absence of several Springbok stars early in the campaign forced a rethink of the Cape side’s traditional approach.
Rather than chase the free-flowing rugby long associated with the Stormers, captain Salmaan Moerat says pre-season planning – and a determination to improve results on tour – led to a more controlled, pressure-based model.
“We knew we were going to tour early and we didn’t have a lot of our X factor, transition players available,” Moerat explained on Friday. “So we found a different way. It wasn’t necessarily old-school Stormers rugby, but it was a way we felt could win us games away from home.”
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That shift has paid dividends, with the Stormers stringing together an unbeaten eight-match run across the URC and Investec Champions Cup without ever leaning heavily on the narrative of momentum.
“We haven’t spoken about being unbeaten or going on a streak,” Stormers coach John Dobson added. “It’s just been about the process – training really well during the week. That sounds like a cliché, but our process has been good and the results have taken care of themselves.”
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Moerat said: “We knew that we needed a particular style of play and a particular formula to win abroad, and I think that worked for us really well.
“The players bought into that, and it wasn’t necessarily the old-school Stormers, flamboyant, flashy tries. It wasn’t flashy, but it worked, especially on tour. But I think now that we’re back home, we can certainly tap into that.”
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The Stormers have beaten the Scarlets, Zebre, Benetton, Munster and Bayonne away from home this season.
A Cape Town Stadium pitch which is a pale shadow of its normal lush green surface after a motocross event last week may well scupper immediate hopes of an expansive game against the Lions on Saturday.
However, Dobson is also wary of being too fast and loose – especially against a team like the Lions who prey on turnover ball in unstructured match situations.
“We’d definitely like to move towards our more traditional game,” he said. “But that only comes if you earn the right. The crowd wants to see those tries, and they will come if we put teams under pressure, force good exits and then transition.”
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Dobson cited the 42-21 win against La Rochelle in Gqeberha a week ago as an example of losing control when trying to be too expansive too early.
“We probably got a little bit loose,” he said. “That’s something the Lions will have seen. So, we can’t be seduced into that. We’ve spoken a lot this week about control.
“They want a high-paced game with ball in play and turnovers,” he warned. “If you get sucked into a shootout, especially against them, you can find yourself in trouble very quickly.”
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For Moerat and his teammates, finding the right balance will be key.
“There’s belief in the group,” he said. “But we know derbies are different. They’ll want to spoil the party, and we have to make sure we stay true to what’s got us here.”
Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images
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