Connacht captain Jack Carty sees a path to back-to-back United Rugby Championship (URC) glory for the Stormers and much of it revolves around their ability to create something out of nothing.
The Stormers beat Connacht 43-25 in the semifinal to book their place in the May 27 final at Cape Town Stadium against Munster, who shocked Leinster at home in their semifinal.
“For the Stormers to win, I think they have to create a game of transition,” said the Connacht flyhalf about the Stormers' ability to go from defence to attack.
“You can see how dangerous they are when they move the ball with width. Their passes will trouble the likes of Leinster and Munster,” he said before the second semifinal had reached its surprising conclusion.
“Those wide passes gets the ball to their danger men on the edge and they use their forward pack to win the collisions. They were great against us at the breakdown in slowing down our ball. If they do that in the final that's how they'd get on top,” said Carty.
Creating something out of nothing is not a foreign concept to the Stormers. It is in their DNA.
The Stormers had little going for them a few years ago. The franchise was near to closing its doors, but they rallied around a common objective — to make Cape Town smile again.
Coach John Dobson says he found progressing to the final a little emotional.
“Our big fear at the start was that we had to prove we belong and last year wasn't a fluke.
“We had to give up a few Springboks [mainly through training camps]. We lost a few players. We gave up more Boks, and it is an incredible feeling for us.
“The only reason we would want to play in Cape Town is for the people of Cape Town and get some revenue. We are the only team to be in two finals,” Dobson quipped.
The coach can barely believe his team has achieved so much in such a short space of time.
“When we sat down at the end of Covid-19 and decided what we'd do at the Stormers I didn't think we'd get a crowd of m ore than 45,000 for a game against Connacht.
“We know what rugby in the Western Cape looks like and what it means to the people.”
He explained the wider impact the team has had on a diverse community.
“There is a police commander in Delft, or Bluedowns, said when the Stormers win, gender-based violence drops that night. You can extrapolate that as far as you want, but it is helluva powerful stuff. The people who come here sacrifice.”
Dobson saw sacrifice first hand in midweek in the build-up to the semifinal.
He met a man at the airport who would run there from his home and ask for a lift into town every day.
The man wanted to save the money for public transport and a ticket to the game.
“He didn't know who I was and he just needed a lift to work. That's who we are really playing for. Our project is to restore the Stormers to its full pride. Fill up this stadium seven, eight times a year.
“We probably got there a bit faster than we thought, in some ways to get to back-to-back finals.
“We are different to any other team in the country. This team belongs across every demographic, every LSM standing and that connection is important to us.
“Everyone has a story. Marvin [Orie] is from Toilet City in Belhar, Kitsie [Steven Kitshoff] and Frans [Malherbe] keep the brandy sales up. It is an industry they support,” he chuckled next to Kitshoff.
The coach said he receives enquiries from players who want to be part of the Stormers' journey.
“The phone is ringing. People want to come and play here, they feel the connection.
“We want to build a really special rugby place. We are heading in the right direction.”
Dobson expects his team to go to the next level once their equity partnership is complete, but knows they are in the crosshairs of others.
“We are aware the other unions will probably go out and spend a bit of money and get big names. We'll keep on fighting.
“Maybe next year we can do better in the Heineken [Champions] Cup, and maybe when we have our equity deal done and have a bigger squad. There's a World Club Championship in 2025. We want to be there, I think we are on track.”
As far as the URC final is concerned, the coach delivered fighting talk before the clash against the only team to beat the Stormers at home this season.
“We are not rolling over. It will be a game of rugby. It will be a proper game of rugby.
“I can promise you it will be a helluva game,” said Dobson, hoping his team will deliver the mother of all performances for the city.
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