Paris thief raids Stormers team room

NEWS: The Stormers got an unwelcome visitor to their team room in Paris this week, on the eve of a crucial Champions Cup Round Four encounter with Racing 92 at the La Defense Arena.

@rugby365com can reveal that a thief entered the team room on Thursday and stole a coach’s laptop and wallet.

Some Stormers members, who were still present in the team room on Thursday, saw the thief and at first thought it was a ‘lost’ guest looking for another conference room at the Radisson Blue, in Paris.

However, it turned out to be a brazen thief who had walked in from outside the hotel.

There was an initial that a member of the Stormers team had mistakenly taken the backpack.

However, security footage confirmed the theft and the Paris police are now involved – investigating the theft.

The Stormers face Racing late on Saturday in one of two more decisive Pool Four games.

Racing 92 hosts the Stormers in one, while Harlequins welcome Glasgow Warriors.

With only one win apiece – following the Stormers’ first victory in Round Three over Sale Sharks and Racing falling to Glasgow – the two will battle it out for the final two knockout spots in Pool Four.

Stormers coach John Dobson this week reminded everyone of the enormity of the challenge they face in Paris.

“Budget-wise it’s a big team, amazing facility and we have to be realistic,” Dobson said.

“We are probably missing a few of our playmakers. So we are going to have to fight. And we can fight properly,” he added.

“Playing a team like these guys away in France when it is 1°C outside, it’s a tough thing.

“But if we can fight and eke out a special result, it will be a massive confidence boost for us.

“But I would focus on our performance, that we stand up and try and impose our game plan, and then the result will come.

“We are here to compete, but people mustn’t be under any illusion as to the nature and size of the beast that we are playing.”

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