Stormers wing Ben Loader in action during their Champions Cup match against Sale Sharks at the Cape Town Satdium. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The Stormers are hoping to build on their impressive defensive performance against Sale Sharks, when they take on French giants Racing 92 in their final Champions Cup pool match in Paris on Saturday night (kick-off 10pm).
Most fans will have enjoyed the superb eye-catching attacking display that saw the Stormers run in six tries against their English Premiership opponents, but it was them keeping the visitors scoreless that was arguably the more notable feat.
With them now up against an internationally laden Racing on their home turf, the Stormers will be hoping to put in another miserly performance on defence, while also taking their chances whenever they get them.
“Obviously playing at home in the sun was great for our attacking game but we can take a lot of confidence from our defensive effort against a very strong Sale side,” said Stormers outside back Ben Loader earlier in the week.
“They posed threats across the board so we did really well to shut them down. Racing will be a different proposition and we know that.
“But the centres Wandy (Wandesile Simelane) and Jonny (Jonathan Roche) can take huge confidence from how well they did defensively against Sale and it will help them be ready for this challenge (if named in the match 23).”
The Stormers will also have to contend with playing on a 4G pitch again, and although they don’t play on them very often, they have enough experience from playing against teams on them in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and Champions Cup that they should be able to adapt quickly.
“Playing on a 4G is always slightly different and as an outside back it is great as it makes you feel very fast, but there are challenges to contend with, such as the bounce of the ball,” explained Loader.
“I have not played indoors before, so that is something to get used to, but I don’t think we will want to go too far away from our identity so hopefully it will be another fast game like last week’s game against Sale.”
The match is a must win for the Stormers, with them likely needing a bonus point win to confirm their place in the last 16 of the competition, while a loss will probably see them drop out, although there will be various permutations to consider.
They will however be buoyed by their recent form, which has seen them pick up two impressive URC wins, followed by the thrashing of Sale, and they will fancy their chances against a Racing side that has been struggling this season.
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