‘It’s a massive challenge’: Stormers won’t take Dragons lightly

Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani insists they will not underestimate the Dragons this weekend despite the home team’s lowly position on the United Rugby Championship table. 

The side from the Cape are in Wales to take on the Dragons in a United Rugby Championship match at Rodney Parade on Friday night (kick-off at 8.35pm), the first of two games on tour for the Stormers. They also face Connacht next Saturday.

The Stormers are fifth in the standings with 45 points from nine wins, while the Dragons are 15^th out of 16 teams after picking up three wins and 16 points.

Warning against complacency

Although the Stormers are the favourites on paper, they have not always had the best of times on tour in Europe and Hlungwani made it clear they were not taking the Dragons lightly. 

“With the Dragons, if you go into the game looking at the log position, and think it’s going to be easy or if you’re complacent, you might find some strong challenges and be put on the back foot,” Hlungwani said.

“So, we are not taking them lightly. If you look at their lineouts, they contest everywhere on the field. They have got a very strong maul-stopping system and it’s a team that tries hard. 

“They keep trying even though their log position doesn’t give them much credit. I know it’s going to be a massive challenge up front, they compete very well.”  

Happy to play at Rodney Parade

Hlungwani said they were happy to be playing at Rodney Parade as they were used to the surface, and it had proven to be a happy hunting ground in the past. 

“It’s a normal surface, it’s a very well looked after field, very nice. It’s probably the best that we have played at, it has got a good pitch, it’s a nice stadium. We are looking forward to playing there,” he said. 

The Stormers will be without several key players, including wings Leolin Zas, Ben Loader and Courtnall Skosan, centre Ruhan Nel, scrumhalf Paul de Wet, loose forwards Keke Morabe, Deon Fourie and Nama Xaba, utility forward Hendre Stassen, and props Lizo Gqoboka and Ali Vermaak, who have stayed home in South Africa because of injuries.

However, John Dobson’s tour squad includes fit-again backs Angelo Davids and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and forwards Sti Sithole and Kwenzo Blose.