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The Stormers won their maiden United Rugby Championship (URC) last season, winning their first international title.
Being a champion in a time of financial turmoil and losing players just before that was great. The odds were stacked against a side whose strength is relatively unknown.
Fast forward to the beginning of 2023 and John Dobson’s men can look back on the 2022 calendar year at home without loss.
Many of the players whose quality was unknown are now branded superstars. Some have become Springboks, while others are queuing to follow the same path that seems inevitable.
What is certain is that this Stormers team that broke the mold and claimed silverware for the people of Cape Town, their rise to glory was no fluke and made the most of the beauty of Western Cape rugby. It is to prove that it is.
fun style
Dobson and his coaching staff have not only built a fortress at Cape Town Stadium, they have created some of the most beautiful free-flow running rugby.
Whether it’s Manny Ribbock breaking through the defensive line, Damian Willemse dancing around the tacklers, or Hachiba Deimani playing as a backline player disguised as a forward, the Stormers always seem to be scoring spectacular tries.
🤩 Stunning try from the Stormers.#URC #STOVBUL pic.twitter.com/TzS1ObaVeP
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) December 23, 2022
Happiness comes with the trust players are given to express themselves, and that’s tangible in the ranks of the Stormers. make sure that the foundations of
The collective power is incredible to see in action.
combination and depth
A key part of how the Stormers break defenses and win games is the balance of their combinations to start with. My own Josef Dweba and Frans Malherbe join skipper Steven Kitshoff in the front row with talented stars Saji Sandy, Niessling Huesch, JJ Kotze and André Hugo Venter constantly improving their options added as an option.
Stormers can choose combinations to provide experience and support to their growing players. It also wraps a player like Mallerbe in bubble wrap to boost the longevity of one of the country’s all-time greatest scrum majors.
The loose trio also has plenty of options. A veteran of his, Deon Fourie has long been channeling his inner Heinrich Brussouw. A ferocious Evan Ruth is injured, but his absence is still too much, as Daimani ignites everything at this stage with his incredible pace and athleticism, despite his immense qualities. Willie Engelbrecht also took advantage of Ruth’s absence to quickly become a 7-shirt stalwart.
🤯 Still coming to terms with Hacjivah Dayimani’s change of pace.
⛈️ Stormer has been running like crazy lately and shows no sign of stopping.pic.twitter.com/YN2Z1uM7J8
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) January 2, 2023
Halfbacks are no different, with World Cup-winning scrumhalf Herschel Yanges battling raw talent turned whimsical scrumhalf Paul De Wett in 2018 for a spot in the starting lineup. Last 2 seasons.
Libbok is now Bok, and he publishes classes every week, getting stronger each time he plays. Oddly enough, first-choice Bok fly-half Willemse is there when needed, even though he hasn’t played 10 games at Cape Town.
Dan du Plessis is 12 or 13 this season, and whoever he plays with has done great. Sleemann Herzenberg, who has only shifted to 13 in the absence of Luhan Nell, looks arguably even stronger on the wing, and Willemse wants to start inside his center if the game calls for it. Please do not forget.
The back three is sprinkled with speed. In the side, last season’s top try-scorer Leoryn Zass continues to perform well, Angelo David settles for 15 games and Civelo Senatra, the most prolific South African sevens star in history, sits on the sidelines for now. lurking in the person.
The addition of Clayton Blommetjies is a welcome addition, knowing only one setting and attacking at full force. A terrifying prospect to play fullback alongside Riboku and Willemse, the former Cheetah has fared well off the bench as an impact sub when he’s not well-suited for certain clashes as a starter.
Ultimately, Dobson is blessed with options to fine-tune combinations based on different player attributes, complementary skills, and varying levels of experience and maturity to keep the team moving forward.
While odds-defying sports teams often walk away as soon as they hit the limelight, this Stormers side has transcended the club to become one of the most elite in the world.
read more: United Rugby Championship: Five points from the South African derby, including Hacjivah Dayimani knocking on Springbok’s door
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