Old ally, new enemy: Stormers brace for familiar threat
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers will have to keep a close eye on former teammate Herschel Jantjies when they face French side Bayonne in their Champions Cup opener on Friday night.
The Cape side heads into Europe on the back of an impressive run, having won all six of their United Rugby Championship fixtures this season. They currently sit at the top of the URC table, but success in the Champions Cup has been harder to come by.
Last season, their campaign ended prematurely after a 22-31 defeat to Racing 92 in the pool stage – a match in which Jantjies made a notable impact with a try and an assist off the bench.
This time, however, the Springbok scrumhalf will be wearing Bayonne colours.
Jantjies moved to the Top 14 earlier this year after seven seasons with the Stormers, a stint that included a URC title and a Springbok call-up in 2019. He was on the bench when South Africa lifted the World Cup in Japan later that year.
“I gave him a plate of food [on Sunday] because his wife is only arriving [on Monday]. So, I’m planning ahead,” Stormers assistant coach Norman Laker joked when asked about Jantjies.
“But on a serious note, we all know Herschel is a quality player.
“He’s won a World Cup with South Africa. There’s a reason why he has won a World Cup, a British and Irish Lions crown, and he’s won a URC with us. So, if he hadn’t won that, I wouldn’t have worried about him.
“But obviously, he’s a quality player.
“We know him inside out, as he knows our systems inside out.
“So, it will be a challenging game.
“He came off the bench against Lyon this weekend. He made a massive difference towards the end of the game. Got the turnover, kicked the ball into touch in the dying seconds.
“So, I think it’s going to be both sides, us and him. Knowing each other so well, it will be challenging.”
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