Stormers set sights on URC tour success after Cape Town double

The Stormers feel they had the perfect two games in Cape Town to prepare them for what awaits during their opening United Rugby Championship (URC) tour.

While they’ve lost the pedigree of tighthead Neethling Fouché after the scrumming machine broke his arm, the loss will be compensated for with the return of key Springboks for the three-match tour.

Normally, they do not start their tours very well, but after the 35–0 victory over Leinster in the opening round, and defeating the Ospreys 26–10 this past Friday, they will head to Wales with plenty of confidence.

They will face the Scarlets in Llanelli in the opening match, and after the tussle with one of the Welsh sides, they can expect another fierce battle. While they couldn’t complete a bonus-point victory over the Ospreys, the Cape side did enough to claim second place on the URC log going into their tour.

John Dobson, the Stormers’ director of rugby, was pleased with how his team dealt with the Ospreys at the breakdown but said they will have to sharpen up their game under contestable kicks.

Normally a strong side when competing to reclaim high kicks, his players struggled to field them and will have to improve overseas, especially if conditions demand a more structured game. The Stormers will have a training session on Monday in Cape Town before flying out to Wales.

With Fouché on the sidelines, the pressure will be on Sazi Sandi while junior prop Zachary Porthen could be thrust into the spotlight away from home. Porthen has performed well in the few games he’s played at senior level. The Stormers can also rely on the prowess of veteran Hencus van Wyk, who joined them recently from the Cheetahs.

They’ll be hopeful of continuing their scrum dominance in the north, despite the absence of Fouché.

“We haven’t been performing well overseas,” Dobson said.

“We’ve been the best South African side travelling locally, but us and the Lions, I think, have the worst touring record — and that has to change. That is why the last two weeks have been useful for us.

“Those are conditions that don’t suit the rugby we normally play here with the x-factor. The last two weeks of grinding — that was important. Last week against Leinster our contestable game was good. However, against the Ospreys, it wasn’t that good.

“But this (the game against the Ospreys) is pretty much how we are going to have to play to get points on the road. These games were really useful to get us momentum for that.”