Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Stormers were the “Crusaders of Super Rugby conference titles”, the gods of small trophies, but all that changed when they won the United Rugby Championship (URC) last year, their first international franchise trophy.
The advent of the European competition for South African sides has not gone without the travel, load management and player exodus that used to plague them in the Super Rugby decades.
But the Stormers have taken flight in the Northern Hemisphere and soared under head coach John Dobson, succeeding where they’d previously tripped and fallen.
Between 2010 and 2016, they had some of their best players in history and their most dominant period but, “depressingly”, couldn’t get over line despite finishing in the top three in five of those seven seasons.
They won five SA conference titles (2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017) and not once did they touch the big one.
On occasion they came close: losses to the Bulls in the 2010 final, the Crusaders at Newlands in a semi-final the following year, and then the Sharks at home, before utter humiliation to the Chiefs (60-21) in front of their faithful fans in 2016.
“It was quite depressing in those days when you did so well, end top of the log and you couldn’t pull it through,” admitted captain Deon Fourie.
“That monkey was always on your back and in the back of your mind. Just to win it in your first season of the URC, that took the monkey off our backs and it’s ‘easier’ – maybe not easier – but there’s nothing holding the guys back from achieving what we’ve already done.”
Now, there appears to be a winning culture cultivated under Dobson that has meant players becoming attuned to playing the Stormers way right from the onset.
This despite losing a raft of players such as Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe, Bongi Mbonambi and Warrick Galant to overseas markets and local rivals along the way. Their regular captain, Steven Kitshoff, is also Ulster-bound at the end of the season.
“We spoke at the beginning of the season that we didn’t want to be that team that’s a flash in the pan last year, like it’s a once-off and that we were lucky to win,” said Fourie.
“Our mindset was to show people out there that we really are a good team and a good group. With those two seasons, winning the SA Shield in a row, we are creating our own Siyas and Ebens with the guys performing every week.
“We will grow from strength to strength every season. And as soon as you create a sense of belonging and it’s a healthy environment, it’s easy for guys to flourish and make big careers for themselves.”
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
