Despite their 41-22 Super Rugby defeat to the Lions last weekend, the Stormers are still confident that they can make the playoffs this year.
To do so, 25-year-old flyhalf Joshua Stander knows he has to be at his best in the last two round-robin games of the season.
On Saturday, coach Robbie Fleck’s side host the Sunwolves at Newlands and Stander knows they have to bag the points, as well as their final home game against the Sharks to stand a chance of earning a wildcard spot.
But they can’t play like they did against the Lions, with Stander saying: “We took a hard look at ourselves now and sometimes you have an off-day, but we’re all very motivated [ahead of the Sunwolves match].”
ECLIPSED: Jean-Luc du Plessis. Photo: Backpagepix.
Stander wasn’t the first-choice pivot at the start of the season, but has since eclipsed Jean-Luc du Plessis as the number-one choice in this position.
Of getting some more game time, he says: “I’m always grateful for the opportunity to start.
“Obviously, it is a goal to become the best at the union or in South Africa and I must just continue doing what I’m doing.”
With a number of their backline players recovering from illness and their loosetrio (Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kobus van Dyk) op die krukkelys, Stander adds: “You will always have injuries. We don’t make excuses, we must just pick up the guys and see where we can go from there.”