Stormers: ‘From down and out to challenging for home quarterfinal’

The Stormers are relishing their position at the top of the South African Shield in the United Rugby Championship and will be aiming to consolidate their place when they take on Glasgow Warriors at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday.

Stormers centre Ruhan Nel is thrilled with the strides made by the team this season to have become the country’s form side, where before the tournament started it was the Bulls and Sharks who were expected to lead the pack.

They are now in line to finish as the highest placed SA team and could potentially secure a home quarterfinal if they finish the pool stage well.

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“If I think back to my journey with Province it started back here in 2017, when we were privileged enough to win the Currie Cup. We then went into Super Rugby to a point where the team was really down and out and people weren’t giving us a chance,” said Nel.

“We have been there and we actually want this position where we are challenging for a play-off spot and potentially for a home quarterfinal.

“It’s awesome to be in this situation from where we were a year or two ago when we were taking a lot of heat, to a situation where we are now one win away from securing a play-off spot.

“So it’s something the team is embracing and enjoying. We are focused on Friday, but our last three games are top of the conference games, so I think it’s a great position to be in and one many other teams would want to be in.”

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Nel himself has received a lot of game time this season where he has taken the chance to entrench himself in the starting line-up and make his mark, and he is now looking forward to emptying the tank over the final few matches.

“It’s been a long but very enjoyable season. It was nice to have a week off, we then have the two games coming up now and then have another two week break before we fly out for our last pool match,” said Nel.

“So towards the end of the season it’s nice that you can empty the tank and make sure you leave everything out there going into the playoffs.”