The Stormers are set to face Connacht in a crucial United Rugby Championship (URC) match at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, with the team bidding farewell to legendary team manager Chippie Solomon, who passed away last week. The match has significant implications for the second-placed Stormers, as a win would secure their place in the play-offs, provided other results go their way this weekend.
Up front, hooker Scarra Ntubeni will be joined by props Zachary Porthen and Ntuthuko Mchunu in an all-Bok front row. Ntubeni will retire at the end of the season after 15 years as a Stormer. The loose forwards are also all Springboks, with Evan Roos joined by flanks Deon Fourie and Ben-Jason Dixon. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will start at flyhalf, linking up with scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, in the only change to the backline that played in the narrow loss to Toulon in the Champions Cup knock-out match a fortnight ago.
Connacht’s Strong Defence
Connacht boasts the most miserly defence in the URC, and the Stormers will need to be at their best to break it down. According to Wikipedia, Connacht has consistently been one of the top teams in the URC, with a strong attack and defence. Stormers captain Ruhan Nel acknowledged the challenge, saying, “They’ve got the No 1 defence in the URC. The way they work on defence, the way they get the spacing in their organisation, it’s not a defence where you can just hit and hope for the best.”
Coach John Dobson selected a team he believes can break down Connacht’s defence, saying, “Connacht may not have the brand of fellow Irish teams Leinster or Munster, but they are a seriously good rugby side. They’ve got a very good attack, and they never go away.” An illustration of this was last season’s encounter, when Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored a hat-trick inside 25 minutes, only for Connacht to almost win the game.
Key Players to Watch
Some key players to watch in this match include:
- Scarra Ntubeni, who will be playing in his 15th and final season as a Stormer
- Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who will be looking to repeat his hat-trick performance from last season
- Evan Roos, who will be leading the loose forwards alongside Deon Fourie and Ben-Jason Dixon
The Stormers will also be looking to break the URC league’s record for attendance in the regular season, requiring 45,000 fans across their last two home games. As the team bids farewell to Chippie Solomon, they will be looking to make it a special occasion, but coach John Dobson warned that they will not let emotions cloud their focus on the task at hand.
