[WATCH] The perfect Storm: Stormers finally have a true identity and that’s why they are bringing home the bacon
|Published
True to the game: Stormers are all pulling in the same direction
I’ve been in this game long enough now to have seen the Stormers at its best and at its worst.
Thinking back through the years, I’d have to say two teams stand out - the “Men in Black” at the turn of the century and the “Galacticos” of a little more than a decade ago.
The Men in Black team was a joy to watch. Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, Pieter Rossouw, Bobby Skinstadt, Corne Krige, Bobby Skinstadt… those are just some of the names who excited me on the rugby field as a teen.
A little over 10 years later and another special breed stepped to the fore.
Gio Aplon wearing Monty’s jumper, Bryan Habana the new Slaptjips, Jean de Villiers in the midfield, Schalk Burger in Krige’s jumper, Jaque Fourie in the mix, giant Andries Bekker in the second row en so kan ons aangaan. Big names that promised much.
Still, Kaapse fans were left hoog en droog when it came to trophies.
The closest the Men in Black-era team came to glory was in 1999 when they lost to the Highlanders 33-18 in the semifinal at Newlands.
The Schalk Burger-led team went one better and made the final in 2010, only to lose to the Bulls in the final.
This, despite constantly being among the top teams at the end of the round-robin phase of the competitions. Still, the glory alluded them.
That’s until last year and the new crop under coach John Dobson arose.
Look, I’ll be honest when I say I’ve seen better Stormers teams on paper in the past. But have a seen a better team? No.
Why is that?
De Villiers, who is a Stormers legend and played for the franchise between 2005 and 2009 and again from 2011 to 2015 - ironically missing out on the 2010 final after leaving for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship final opponents Munster for a year - has a theory.
He says of the difference between this team and the one they had: “This Stormers team has been able to nail down the way they want to play and everyone bought in and everyone strives to play that way. It’s not something that happens overnight. They understand the way they want to play.
That Steven Kitshoff home final feeling… 😍 #BKTURC #URC | #UnitedWeRise | #STOvMUN | @TheStormers |@MunsterRugby pic.twitter.com/ntPJoR9FIr
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) May 22, 2023
“If you compare that to my time - it was a constant struggle as to what was our identity. Do you want to play expansive or conservative? I don’t think we always got that right.
“And I really do think that’s what they got right.”
It’s almost GO time 🙌
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) May 24, 2023
Who will rise to victory and be crowned Champions? 🏆
⚡️ @TheStormers or @MunsterRugby 🦌#BKTURC #URC | #UnitedWeRise pic.twitter.com/r9ePOEtSoY
Identity, knowing yourself, your brand, what you stand for and what you want to achieve.
Nou toe, you want to be back-to-back URC champions, now go out and grab that identity against Munster in the final at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.