Stormers ‘free to fly’ in 2019

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Captain Siya Kolisi and coach Robbie Fleck believe that the Stormers will deliver this season in spite of the off-field issues afflicting the franchise. JON CARDINELLI reports.

Two weeks ago, stand-in skipper Chris van Zyll said that the team was in a good space following the win against the Vodacom Bulls at the Cape Town Stadium.

Only days before that fixture, it emerged that the Stormers players were unhappy about the alleged move to promote Paul Treu to the position of director of rugby. There were also reports about a power struggle between the WP Rugby board and WPFRU exco.

The players managed to perform in spite of those off-field issues. As Kolisi remarked just a couple of days before the Vodacom Super Rugby opener at Loftus Versfeld, the group has become a lot tighter over the past few weeks.

‘We’ve worked hard in the preseason. Unfortunately we’ve suffered a few injury setbacks in the past week or so, but we have to get on with it,’ the Stormers captain said.

‘We won’t let all the other [off-field] stuff worry us. The coaches have kept us very calm during this period and focused on the task at hand. We are much tighter because we know what we need to do.’

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The Stormers will head into the new season without three key Springboks. Steven Kitshoff has been ruled out for four to six weeks with a hamstring injury, while Eben Etzebeth and Frans Malherbe will miss the trip to Loftus.

But as Kolisi and Fleck said at a press conference held at Newlands on Thursday, the team has no room for excuses.

This could be the group’s final year together, with Fleck’s contract coming to an end and several players possibly moving abroad. Again, the coaches and players won’t blame the off-field issues if they record another poor return – even though they may well have cause to.

‘We decided four years ago [when Fleck was first appointed as head coach] that this would be our year,’ said the Stormers coach. ‘We are over the processes now and it’s all about delivering.

‘We’ve added to our game over the past few years. We’ve lost a few players along the way, but there are a lot of guys who have come right through from the WP Institute to the WP U21 side, to the Currie Cup side, to the Stormers side. They’ve come a long way as a group.

‘Last year was a bit of a hiccup. We’ve discussed it and moved on. We’re pouring everything into this year and making no excuses.’

Fleck also spoke about what could be his final year at the helm of the Cape franchise.

‘The coaches will coach with freedom and the players will play with freedom. We may lose one or two along the way, but we know what we want to achieve.

‘There’s no pressure on my shoulders this year. This is the last year on my contract. Regardless of what happens, we will give everything. If the team performs well, that means I perform well and we will see what happens after that.’

PREVIEW: Super Rugby (Round 1, Part 2)

A win against a revamped Bulls team at Loftus would certainly serve as an early season statement.

‘[Bulls coach] Pote Human has got some old school Bulls values. I think he treasures the set piece, maul and encourages a solid kicking game,’ said Fleck.

‘But what they got from Mitch last year is an extra attacking dimension. That was evident in the semi-final against us in the Currie Cup. Pote has brought a nice balance to the game. I think it suits their players.

‘It’s a great challenge for us. It’s going to take a full 80 minutes to win up at Loftus and we feel that we are physically and mentally ready.’


Photo: Gallo Images

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Jon Cardinelli