Stormers at ease with calculated risk
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: With no risk, there is no reward – and the Stormers are banking on exactly that approach ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship quarterfinal against Cardiff.
Director of Rugby John Dobson has rolled the dice with a bold 6-2 bench split, prioritising forward power with only two backs among the replacements.
The Stormers have welcomed back several players, including inspirational captain Ruhan Nel, Seabelo Senatla and utility forward Ruan Ackermann.
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Ackermann has been named on the bench after being sidelined since January.
Stefan Ungerer and Jurie Matthee are the only backline replacements, with the coaching staff trusting the versatility of players like Damian Willemse and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to provide emergency cover.
Dobson admitted the decision to stack the replacements with forwards was carefully calculated.
“If one of the backs goes down early, we have got Damian, who can play everywhere except scrumhalf,” Dobson explained.
“Immy [scrumhalf Imad Khan] is very comfortable on the wing, so it gives us a little bit of cover. Jurie can go to No.10 and Sacha can go anywhere.
“But if you think about it logically, probably the bigger concern would be Ruan Ackermann.
“If a loose forward went down in the third minute, to ask Ruan – who is a big, physical, mobile 120kg unit – to go 77 minutes, having not played since January 3, would be an impossible.”
“So, we had to have the extra loose forward Marcel Theunissen. He can also call the lineouts.”
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Dobson believes Ackermann’s impact could prove decisive during the closing stages of the contest.
“He is an absolute beast, so I’m very pleased to have him back,” the 56-year-old said.
“He has stopping power, carrying power, but the dark arts are maul defence and aggressive mauling, so it’s that sort of physical presence and power in the last 20 minutes of the game that I think will be very significant.”
He revealed that Ackermann’s talent had not gone unnoticed internationally.
“There’s a reason why he was so perilously close to the England squad – and that’s not a rumour.
“However, I suspect that if he’d stayed in South Africa and played for the Lions throughout… I’ve got no doubt that if he’d hung around this team, he would have been close to the Green and Gold [Springbok selection].
“He’s special – one of those unsung superheroes.”
