'Fancy' Stormers should go back to basics
02/17/2025 08:00 AM
OPINION: The Stormers' fall from grace since their heroic 2022 United Rugby Championship title-winning campaign is no coincidence.
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When South African franchises kissed Super Rugby goodbye in 2020 and joined the URC (then Pro 14) in 2021, there were a lot of questions about how they would adapt to the new competition.
As it turned out, the Stormers and Bulls battled it out for the inaugural URC title - with the Capetonians emerging as winners against all odds.
What should be taken into consideration is the unknown element.
The South African sides know each other inside and out, but overseas teams had little to no idea what to expect from their new competitors - and vice versa.
The Stormers to their credit had a chokehold on their local counterparts for over two seasons up until recently and managed to get the better of most of their overseas opposition.
Apart from the unknown factor, there's also the case of the Champions Cup.
More rugby means the risk of injuries will always be on the up.
In season one, the South African sides didn't participate in the prestigious club competition and had to stretch their resources across two tournaments.
They did, however, make their EPCR debut the following season and the Stormers were four minutes away from going back-to-back in the URC when a late Munster try denied that feat in the 2023 Final.
Then of course there is the case of player personnel.
The likes of Hacjivah Dayimani, Marvin Orie, and Nama Xaba have all gone on to greener pastures, while former captain Steven Kitshoff returned after a stint with Ulster. His future is in the balance due to a serious neck injury and hasn't played a single URC game this season.
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The Stormers are still sticking to what worked for them in their golden period.
The problem is without those players mentioned - and their lengthy injury list which includes three Springbok playmakers Damian Willemse, Manie Libbok, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu - they simply don't have enough firepower to replicate the loose, free-flowing game they so desperately want to play.
Their mantra is to "make Cape Town smile".
Their recent performances have left their fans fuming, and rightly so.
The Stormers should rather focus on doing the basics well before pulling out the fancy moves and tricks.
Sure, it's beautiful when it comes off - but after four seasons teams know what's coming and they prepare for it. A good example is the way the Lions defended against the Capetonians this past weekend.
The Stormers have enough players to turn their season around, despite missing all those who are injured.
Their line-out has been good, but their conversion rate from driving mauls leaves questions.
Their goal-kicking has been an issue for years and ultimately cost them a victory over the Bulls in Cape Town last week.
The Stormers' breakdown work is a mess as is their general ball protection as they are turned over far too easily week in and out.
Those are some of the basics they need to fix first before thinking of going loose and playing the attractive brand they are known for.
The only way to get Cape Town smiling again is by winning and for that reason, they should revert to the basics to give themselves a fighting chance this season.
