Deon Fourie Deon Fourie said the Stormers will relieve some URC log pressure if they can beat the Scarlets on Saturday. | BackpagePix
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The last time the Stormers won a competitive match in Europe was all the way back in October last year.
They thrashed Zebre 36-5 in Parma, having lost to the Ospreys a week earlier at the start of the United Rugby Championship season. But it’s been lean pickings since. They lost 38-7 to Edinburgh in Scotland, 53-16 to Harlequins in London, 31-22 to Racing 92 in Paris and 36-12 to Leinster in Dublin.
The only other away win in total came in their last match, the memorable 19-16 triumph over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on March 1.
They are 12th on the URC log with 28 points, but remain in play-off contention as they are just a point behind the eighth-placed Lions.
John Dobson’s team, though, can’t afford to leak any more points if they want to make the quarter-finals, starting with Saturday’s clash against the Scarlets in Llanelli (5pm kick-off). The Stormers were able to include Springbok stars Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse in the squad on Tuesday following lengthy injury layoffs.
The playmakers’ return comes at just the right time, as the Capetonians will hope to repeat their 2022 victory at the Parc y Scarlets ground this weekend.
“We had to win with a bonus point to win the (SA) Shield, and Ruhan (Nel) scored at the end,” veteran flank Deon Fourie said this week.
“I think it helps (having won in Llanelli before), but there are a lot of new faces, who weren’t there in the first season. But it helps to know the conditions and where we are going.
“We spoke about the game against the Scarlets – I think we are targeting that. We don’t look at the whole tour, if I can put it that way.
“If we can just get that first win on the road, then it will take the monkey off our back a bit against Ulster.
“All the emphasis is on getting the first win in the first game on the road.”
The Stormers will hope that the victory over the Bulls will prove to be the turning point in their up-and-down season, but they will need to follow up the Loftus encounter with a similar fighting spirit in Wales.
The Scarlets are also on 28 points, but in 10th place due to a better points difference. So, they will also be desperate to stay in the playoff hunt by beating the visitors.
Fourie added that having been part of the Springbok alignment camp will also push the Stormers players to give their all against the Scarlets.
“If you look at the first Bulls game and the Lions game, we dominated most of the stats and didn’t win,” the 38-year-old openside said.
“So, we would like to build on that (Loftus) win. The pack played superbly, and thanks to Jurie (Matthee for the goal-kicking). We took a lot of confidence from those three games. We need to at least win that first game, and then there won’t be as much pressure against Ulster."
Apart from flyhalf Feinberg-Mngomezulu and fullback Willemse, the Stormers were also bolstered by the return of outside back Suleiman Hartzenberg from a hand injury, as well as lock Connor Evans. But the Stormers travelled to Wales on Tuesday without two stalwarts in flank Ben-Jason Dixon and tighthead prop Neethling Fouché.
In addition, scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer was ruled out with a groin strain, which saw veteran Dewaldt Duvenage added to the group.
Stormers Tour Squad
Forwards: Joseph Dweba, Willie Engelbrecht, Connor Evans, Dave Ewers, Deon Fourie, Brok Harris, JJ Kotze, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat (captain), Gary Porter, Evan Roos, Sazi Sandi, Sti Sithole, Marcel Theunissen, Ruben van Heerden, André-Hugo Venter, Ali Vermaak.
Backs: Luke Burger, Paul de Wet, Dan du Plessis, Dewaldt Duvenage, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Warrick Gelant, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Herschel Jantjies, Ben Loader, Jurie Matthee, Wandisile Simelane, Damian Willemse, Leolin Zas.