Lady luck is certainly smiling on the Stormers in this season’s Super Rugby tournament.
Unbeaten in four matches to date, coach John Dobson’s side is the only team that is yet to taste defeat in 2020.
But it could have been so different in the last two weeks.
By their own admission, the Stormers have not played their best rugby thus far and could have gone down to the Lions two weeks ago and again to the Jaguares on Saturday.
Fact is, they didn’t and remain unbeaten despite not playing their best rugby.
That, Cape fans, is a good omen - a mark of a champion side.
So while they are building a winning culture which is great for squad confidence, I do feel that there is another element at work here - one that truly gives you the edge over your opponents.
Some call it luck, others call it destiny.
Either way, the Stormers have it in a big way.
Dobson’s men were (I’m going with) lucky (for now) even before the season started.
WINNING HABIT: Coach John Dobson. Picture: PHANDO JIKELO/ANA
When the draw for their final season at Newlands was made, the Stormers probably couldn’t believe their eyes when they were scheduled to travel Australasia in the 11th round only. That was their first bit of good fortune.
Then after keeping the Hurricanes and the Bulls scoreless at Newlands, they left it until the final move of the ball to score a match-winning try against the Lions (33-30).
Some Ellis Park fans still claim the try should have been disallowed because “the pass from replacement flyhalf Jean-luc du Plessis to wng Sergeal Petersen went forward”.
That wasn’t the referee’s call and that’s all that counts. Number two.
Then this past weekend with the scoreboard reading 17-7 in their favour, the Jaguares had a try disallowed for a player playing the ball from an offside position.
The visitors ran the ball the length of the field and only after celebrating, were called back.
POWERING FORWARD: Midfielder Jamie Roberts
Had the try been awarded, it would have been 17-14 and game on.
Instead, the score remained 17-7 for the Stormers.
Another close encounter.
Anyway, I expected more of Dobson’s boys against the Jaguares.
The Argentine team that rocked up at Newlands was nie naastenby the team that played in last year’s final.
Only four players that took the field started 2019’s decider against the Crusaders.
Fullback Emiliano Boffelli, scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli and props Santiago Medrano and Nahuel Tetaz Chapparro were the only survivors from that team.
So when I sat down to compare the two teams before the match, the Jaguares reminded me of a Pampas XV - the Argentina team that played in the Vodacom Cup.
UNBEATEN: Jaco Coetzee
Anyway, the Stormers eked out a win and remain unbeaten.
Luck or destiny? You decide...
I reckon they will make it number five against the Blues this coming weekend.