'Fit pack' for SA domestic comp
SPOTLIGHT: With the South African season in limbo, the Stormers have been spending their ‘non-contact’ training sessions perfecting other features of their play.
The Stormers squad is now in their third week of non-contact training in groups of five or less in preparation for SA Rugby’s proposed domestic competition.
The eight-team Currie Cup competition is set to get underway in early- or mid-September.
Speaking to the media, Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani conceded it has been a frustrating period.
However, he admitted it has provided him with time to work on the fitness of the forwards.
“The big thing we have been working on is making sure that we have a fit pack with a good aerobic base,” Hlungwani said.
“We have always had a good line-out, good maul and a strong scrum, but we want to make sure that our pack can operate from minute one to minute 80.
“[Having said that] we are hungry for contact although we are not sure when we will be able to do it again,” he said.
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Meanwhile, Stormers lock Salmaan Moerat has opted to look at the advantages of the enforce lockdown – stating it could be very beneficial for a player’s career.
“I think it was a good time for players to take a chance to recuperate,” Moerat said.
“Something like the lockdown could be beneficial to your career, it could lengthen your career in the long run.”
He explained: “If you look at a player like Dan Carter, I think there was a stage in his career where he took a six-month sabbatical and I read something where he spoke about how beneficial the lockdown could be to a player’s career, especially if you look at forwards and the amount of impact we take.
“But it’s important that you work your way back again and it’s really important that we build a solid base before we start playing again.”
Commenting on the Stormers’ state of fitness for the proposed Currie Cup competition, Moerat said: “I’m pretty sure we will have at least five weeks of full-contact training before we start playing again, so we should be ready.
“The guys have been spending a lot of time on the watt bikes that we’ve been given, so we’re keeping in shape. We still have certain things to work on, but generally, I think the guys are quite fit.”
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