The Stormers will have their first taste of on-field action this season at Florida Park in Ravensmead on Saturday.
Coach John Dobson’s charges will lock horns with the best of the Mother City in four separate 20-minute “chukkas” against Maties, UCT, CPUT and a WP XV at the home of Tygerberg, with action getting underway at 12pm on Saturday.
Gates at Florida Park will open at 9.30am on Saturday and the Stormers squad will play their first period against UCT at 1.30pm, followed directly by 20 minutes against five-time Varsity Cup champions Maties at 2pm.
GIVE IT A GO: Varsity Cup champions Maties. Picture: BackpagePix.
The players will then take a break as the varsity teams battle it out among each other, with the final two 20-minute periods against WP XV and CPUT ending the day.
PREPARATIONS: Province will join the action. Picture: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix.
With the Hurricanes lying in wait in their February 1 Super Rugby season opener, Dobson says: “We are very lucky to have some quality local university teams, with many of our current players having come through those structures.
“The varsity teams are all preparing for the Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield campaigns, so we know they will be giving everything out there to make an impression.
THOROUGH TEST: Ikeys will play Stormers. Picture: BackpagePix.
“It is also a fantastic opportunity for our squad to connect with the community in the pre-season, as we build on and off the field towards the start of the season.”
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/iamastormer?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iamastormer #squadgoals
— DHL STORMERS (@THESTORMERS)
Entrance on the day at Florida Park will be R20, with parking also R20.
The non-playing Stormers, which could include a number of Springbok Rugby World Cup heroes, will have a signing session at 2pm.