The Stormers are set to welcome back a key player for Saturday’s must-win Investec Champions Cup clash against the Leicester Tigers in Cape Town.
Backline and attack coach Dawie Snyman revealed on Tuesday that Ruhan Nel returned to training on Monday after a calf injury picked up in mid-December.
The experienced centre’s defensive organisation and leadership could prove crucial against a Tigers backline featuring the likes of internationals Freddie Steward and Jack van Poortvliet.
“Ruhan brings a lot, not just defensively but also as a leader,” Snyman said. “That kind of presence helps settle things when you’re under pressure.”
Snyman admitted a second-string Stormers side were “poor in pretty much all areas” in their crushing 61-10 loss to Harlequins which ended a 10-match winning run across competitions.
“It wasn’t a great performance. We were under pressure, and we beat ourselves in one or two key moments. Credit to Harlequins – they were phenomenal – but it’s not the standard we expect.”
Hooker Andre-Hugo Venter, who did not travel to London, identified turnovers as a key factor in the collapse at The Stoop.
“As soon as you start getting momentum and then lose the ball, it’s frustrating,” he said. “A lot of it came down to the breakdown. Those turnovers just killed our momentum and made it hard to get any fluency.”
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Both player and coach see the Leicester clash as a chance to reset.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re playing or not – if the Stormers lose, you lose. It hurts all of us,” said Venter. “That’s why this week is massive. It’s a chance to bounce back and put things right.”
“The manner of the loss wasn’t ideal,” added Snyman. “That said, it’s our job now to fix those areas and make sure we get it right.”
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The Stormers’ first-choice team, which remained in Cape Town last week, trained on Friday and Monday.
Part of the touring squad landed in Cape Town on Monday, while the remainder will arrive back at lunchtime on Tuesday.
Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images
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