The Stormers XXIII are licking their lips to make it a memorable Currie Cup clash against the Cheetahs on Sunday, according to coach Tom Dawson-Squibb and skipper Jean-Luc du Plessis.
The fifth-placed Stormers head into round four with Du Plessis returning from injury to lead the side at Athlone Stadium against a dangerous Cheetahs outfit driven by the experience of playmakers Faf de Klerk, Jaco van der Walt and Clayton Blommetjies.
Dawson-Squibb on Thursday welcomed the appetite shown by those handed fresh opportunities in the reshuffled forward pack like flanker Xola Nyali and No 8 Divan Fuller.
“Look at the guys that have come in, Divan’s already played in this competition. He’s played two games. Xola played every game. He just gets a start,” he said.
“Sometimes when you get guys playing off the bench, they get a start, they get that extra bit of hunger. You get a guy like Divan who missed out a week, he’s got that extra bit of hunger.”
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He also spoke of the significance of Du Plessis’ return: “Having JL back is massive for us, he’s the persona of our team and what we want to drive.”
Dawson-Squibb reflected on the occasion of returning to Athlone Stadium, a venue steeped in history since being built in 1972.
“It’s a massive occasion and opportunity for us. Yes, there’s obviously Friday night’s game [between the Stormers and All Blacks], which is huge. But Athlone Stadium was in many ways, a place for the community to come and to express their talents.
“I want these guys to express their talents in front of the people there.
“It’s a short comp. We don’t have the luxury of a week off because everyone’s good. There’s no minnows, every single team is good. There is huge significance in our dreams of doing well in this competition.”
Du Plessis, meanwhile, was eager to build on last week’s win after a difficult outing against the Boland Cavaliers two weeks ago.
“The Boland game was a bit tough to watch, but the guys bounced back well last week [in beating the Sharks XV],” he said. “It’s now just for us building on that and looking to make it back-to-back.”
He noted the threat posed by the Cheetahs’ attacking instincts.
“Everybody knows the Cheetahs’ DNA. They like to entertain and they like to keep the ball in hand and attack, and they also have experienced players in decision-making roles.
“I’m sure they’ll also have a look at the conditions and adjust their game. We know what to expect … when they get their tails up and get what they want, they are quite difficult to contain.”
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Photo: Stormers
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The Stormers XXIII are licking their lips to make it a memorable Currie Cup clash against the Cheetahs on Sunday.
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