The Stormers will play their final match at Newlands tomorrow when they tackle the Cheetahs in Super Rugby Unlocked action.
Moving to Cape Town Stadium at the end of the Currie Cup in January next year, tomorrow’s match will be the last played by the franchise team at the ground they’ve called home since 1998.
Coach John Dobson, though, sien dit nie so nie and views this season as one big package.
The Stormers morph into Western Province after playing their final Super Rugby Unlocked match next week – away to the Sharks.
And with Super Rugby Unlocked log points being carried over into the Currie Cup competition which starts at the end of the month, Dobson is eyeing one big Newlands finale.
He says: “I am seeing the last game at Newlands full stop and hopefully that’s on the 23rd of January [in the Currie Cup final] in a [Western] Province jersey.”
Captain Steven Kitshoff adds: “I have a similar long-term picture in mind. Playing the final at Newlands is the bigger picture.”
For now, though, their focus is on the Cheetahs, with Dobson having made five changes to the team that beat Griquas 39-6 last weekend.
Scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, who missed the win in Kimberley on compassionate grounds, comes back into the team alongside fit-again Ruhan Nel who replaces the injured Edwill van der Merwe on the wing.
Up front, lock Salmaan Moerat comes in for David Meihuizen, who is also out with injury, while Scarra Ntubeni rotates with Bongi Mbonambi at hooker, with Frans Malherbe back in his No.3 jumper after Neethling Fouche packed down at tighthead last week.