Stormers players celebrate after winning their vital URC match against the Bulls at Cape Town Stadium last week. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The Stormers have returned to training after taking a short two-day break to celebrate Christmas with their families, as they prepare for their second massive local United Rugby Championship (URC) derby in a row, against the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
It continues a very busy Christmas period for the Cape side that has seen them crucially build some impressive momentum after a difficult start to their season.
Their last four games have all been positive performances with them beating Zebre in the URC, followed by a second string side impressing but going down 35-26 against Leicester Tigers in England in the Champions Cup.
Their first team then returned to clinch a thrilling 21-20 win over Champions Cup defending champs La Rochelle and backed that up with an entertaining 26-20 URC win over the Bulls this past weekend to lift themselves into the top half of the table.
It is a short week for the team but coach John Dobson believes they will be well prepared for the Sharks despite their busy schedule mixed in with a bit of festive celebrations.
“We will be good for the Sharks. We knew the project with these three games (Leicester, La Rochelle and Bulls). We have a seven-day physical turnaround but six-day week in terms of training which we can do, because we have done it before,” said Dobson.
“We will have to push the guys. This is an important game in terms of us getting into the top echelons of the league.”
The Stormers have been struggling with a very long injury list this season, with a number of key players out for extended periods, and they added two more names to that list with Jean-Luc du Plessis and Clayton Blommetjies picking up injuries against the Bulls.
But the home side will be bolstered by the return of a couple of star players for this weekend’s match, with inside centre Dan du Plessis, who has yet to play this season, available for selection and Warrick Gelant fit after being unavailable for the Bulls game.
“We said that the thing about this team is [the injuries] didn’t bother us. I mean that in the best way,” said Dobson.
“What gives me real excitement now is that we can throw in Dan du Plessis and Warrick Gelant into the mix. We will have a few more back in January.
“We have punched our way through our darkest hour in Cardiff (their fourth straight loss on tour before returning to SA) and put together three really compelling performances, showing that we are a really class team of international standard.”
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