Ahead of the Stormers’ Super Rugby opener against the Hurricanes at the weekend, more than a handful of people would have been eager to see whether all the pre-season talk would amount to anything on the field.
Before the official proceedings kicked off, the Stormers’ coaching staff had spoken about the issues they had addressed during the break and what they’d like to do going forward.
Their ability to play for a full 80 minutes and close out games in the last 10 was one of those work-ons, while their attack was also an area that received some attention.
Last year, it was a problem area for the Cape side. Their try-scoring record was bleak and overall, the quality of their attack left quite a bit to be desired.
To be fair, it wasn’t always bad, but there just wasn’t enough in terms of finishing and consistency when it came to performances in that regard.
They also spoke about the obvious quality of their pack and how they had planned on using all those Springbok resources to their advantage.
Then there was the fact that this is their last season at Newlands, while the draw - with a string of home games early on - is also a situation that favours John Dobson’s team.
And in their 27-0 whipping of the Hurricanes, the Stormers ticked all those boxes. All of them and more.
They produced an impressive performance in front of 18 000-plus fans. Their pack was at the centre of everything the Stormers got so right, with their scrummaging and mauling particularly neat.
The Hurricanes didn’t have any say at the breakdown either, while the Stormers defence held strong throughout the game, especially towards the end when the New Zealanders - who had very little chance with ball in hand until then - looked like they would actually try doing something with their possession.
Another big ‘yes’ was how the Stormers scored four tries, and the fact that they grabbed a late one, albeit an intercept try, was also big.
While there were no shortage of top performers, the halfback pairing of Damian Willemse and Herschel Jantjies also would have put a smile on Dobson’s face.
Yes, it was just the opening round, and none of us needs any reminding that the trophy isn’t lifted in February.
But Stormers fans needed something, they needed to see if all that pre-season talk would amount to anything, and it did.
The big thing for the Stormers will now be consistency - they need to build on that opening performance.
And emulating the quality of their first Super Rugby game of the season against the Bulls this weekend will be a good start.
@WynonaLouw
Cape Times
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