If rugby was a poker game, many DHL Stormers fans would probably ask their team to hedge their bets on trying to turn around a dismal 2024/25 campaign.
For those unfamiliar with the betting term, it means: “To avoid committing oneself with a difficult choice”.
And coach John Dobson’s Stormers outfit are truly faced with a difficult choice when it comes to their remaining games in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
They find themselves in 12th position on the overall log, having won four and losing seven of their 11 games to date.
To try and reach the URC quarterfinals they need to win all seven of their remaining games – including this Saturday’s 5 pm clash with arch-rivals the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
But looking at the Cape side’s current injury crisis, it feels as if All Bets Are Off when it comes to Dobson’s men pulling off something special in the coming weeks and months to try and reach the URC knock-out rounds for a fourth successive season.
Injuries and Bad Selections Derailed Stormers
Up to 12 players are currently unavailable for the Stormers (33.40). They were dealt the biggest blow on the injury front earlier this week when former team captain and double World Cup-winner Steven Kitshoff retired after medical advice. He had suffered a neck injury in a Currie Cup game for Western Province against Griquas last year.
Add to that the fact that star players Damian Willemse (hip), Manie Libbok (knee) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (sternum) are among the 12 crocked players. A call for the Stormers to close shop on their season and use the remaining games to try and build squad depth with youngsters could be the most logical choice.
However, injuries alone are not responsible for the Cape side’s bad performances on the field. The game plan and team selections by Dobson also seem to have derailed the Stormers’ season.
One of those strange calls from Dobson that stands out came earlier on during the season when they lost 28-17 to Glasgow Warriors in Stellenbosch.
The week prior, the Cape side demolished Munster 34-19 at DHL Stadium with Willemse running the show at flyhalf and first-choice centre-pairing Dan du Plessis and Ruhan Nel shutting down the Irish team’s attack.
Against Glasgow, it felt as if Dobson had lost the plot. He moved Willemse to inside centre to accommodate Libbok at 10, moving Du Plessis to the outside centre and Nel to the right wing at the expense of Suleiman Hartzenberg. The Stormers benched Hartzenberg, although he had put in a sterling performance against Munster and scored two tries.
That roll of the dice not only saw the Stormers lose convincingly to Glasgow but also lose Willemse for the bulk of their URC campaign.
Silverware is Still Up for Grabs for Stormers
It might be logical for the Stormers to write off this season. They are also out of the European Champions Cup after a pool stage exit.
Still, there is still some silverware on the line this coming weekend when the Stormers tackle the Bulls (6.46).
Yes, the Cape side can still win the URC South African Shield. A title they won in their first two seasons of the URC and last season relinquished to the Bulls.
They find themselves sitting in third place with 14 points with the Bulls (16) leading the SA Shield title race and the Hollywoodbets Sharks (14) pipping the Stormers to second spot on points difference.
The Emirates Lions are last on four points and already out of Shield contention having won only one game against fellow SA counterparts when they beat the Stormers 30-23 a fortnight ago.
Pushing for URC Top-eight Spot
However, towering Stormers lock Ruben van Heerden earlier this week said their main goal is still to reach the URC knock-out rounds.
Ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Bulls, van Heerden said: “We still have seven matches left and there is time to do something special, but it has to start this weekend.
“We owe it to each other to pull together and play to our potential. I think we’ve disappointed each other this season a bit in certain areas. We are a good team, but we haven’t shown that consistently.
“So, there can be no time wasting. We can’t afford to make those silly errors and not be clinical. The motivation is for each other and our supporters. They deserve better and we deserve better.”
