Sharks did Stormers a favour says Springbok
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers were handed a timely reality check after suffering a 19-30 defeat to the Sharks at DHL Stadium in their United Rugby Championship Round 10 clash.
The loss ended the Stormers’ eight-match unbeaten run in the URC and marked the Sharks’ first URC victory at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium.
The Stormers entered the fixture as clear favourites following an outstanding start to the season, where they topped the URC table.
And while one did not expect them to pull off an Arsenal Invincibles-type season, one also did not expect it to unravel in this fashion.
Despite being widely regarded as the most balanced team in the URC, the Stormers have shown signs of strain in recent weeks. They managed to edge past stiff challenges from the Bulls and Lions, but the Sharks’ physicality and execution proved a step too far.
There were positives for the home side. The Stormers enjoyed a 100 percent success rate at scrum time. However, line-out inefficiency and lapses in decision-making undermined their efforts.
Stormers utility forward Ben-Jason Dixon acknowledged the value of the defeat in the bigger picture.
“How the Sharks played and how well they executed their plans almost did us a favour in terms of a season perspective,” Dixon told reporters.
“You always improve, even when you’re winning, but it’s different when a team beats you in a specific area, and you realise you need to be better. There’s a bit more desperation added.”
Dixon pointed to the line-outs as a clear area of concern.
“That’s one of the areas where they edged us. We want to fix that because we know we can be much better.
“Our general work rate was good – kick chase, getting back on defence, long defensive sets. Those things went well and gave us confidence going into this weekend.”
The Stormers now have an immediate opportunity for redemption when they travel to Durban to face the Sharks again this weekend.
Stormers assistant coach Rito Hlungwani described the back-to-back coastal derbies as a rare but valuable scenario.
“It’s a unique situation. Instead of waiting three or four months, you get an opportunity straight away to deal with your mistakes and fix them.”
Hlungwani confirmed that injury concerns remain, but key players are pushing for a return.
“Salmaan [Moerat] didn’t train today [Tuesday], and if you don’t train on a Tuesday, you’re highly unlikely to play,” he said.
“Evan [Roos] and Adre [Smith] both trained, which is definitely a big positive for us.”
The coach admitted that Roos’ late withdrawal last week had a significant impact.
“Evan gives us power, a high work rate and go-forward. He’s someone we definitely missed, and we’re hoping to have him back this week.”
Despite the setback, the Stormers remain second on the URC table, three points behind leaders Glasgow, with a game in hand – and now armed with a sharper sense of what lies ahead.
