The Stormers ended 2023 with a tightly fought 16-15 win over the Sharks on Saturday evening at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town. 

The victory marks two consecutive years, 2022 and 2023, of victories over South African opposition at the home ground in the United Rugby Championship. Over the last two years, only Munster have come away from DHL Stadium with a positive result.

“We started the project a couple of years ago to get Cape Town smiling, to get people in the gates,” head coach John Dobson said after the tightly contested match against the Sharks on Saturday, 30 December.

“As much as we didn’t win the game by much, just to realise the bigger picture, what the crowd looks like, and who that crowd represents and the sacrifices they made to be here. It’s incredible for us.

“That’s our big assignment. That’s the reason these guys don’t disappear in games.”

Manie Libbok of the Stormers during the United Rugby Championship match between DHL Stormers and Hollywoodbets Sharks at DHL Stadium on 30 December 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok contributed 11 of his side’s 16 points – off the kicking tee – to the Stormers’ victory.

Lock Adré Smith scored the homeside’s only try of the match in the first half. 

The Sharks scored two well-worked tries of their own with winger Werner Kok and lock Corne Rahl – who was a late replacement for Springbok Eben Etzebeth – dotting down for the Durban side.

The Sharks held the lead briefly in the second half, but with a Libbok penalty and crowd in excess of 40,000 in synchronised roars, the home side rumbled home.

“We’re very fortunate,” Stormers captain Deon Fourie said about the crowd after the match. “That was the goal two years ago when we started to make this an entertaining venue for everyone to enjoy.

“It’s showing at the moment. Even with the one point wins, we’re keeping it entertaining. We’re fortunate with people of Cape Town coming to support us. We can’t ask for anything more.”

Ruhan Nel during the United Rugby Championship match between DHL Stormers and Hollywoodbets Sharks at DHL Stadium on 30 December 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Cole Cruickshank / Gallo Images)

Injury concerns

Dobson took a calculated risk of going with a six-two bench split for the coastal clash with only scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies and rookie flyhalf Jurie Matthee as backline reserves.

Halfway through the first half, centre Ruhan Nel suffered a serious knee injury which forced a backline reshuffle.

“We ended up with a cramping scrumhalf on the wing and a reserve flyhalf at fullback,” Dobson pointed out with Paul de Wet forced out wide after playing 65 minutes at scrumhalf.

“It looks like a pretty serious knee injury. I heard on the radio that it was PCL [Posterior Cruciate Ligament] or MCL [Medial Collateral Ligament]. But then I heard it was ACL [Anterior Cruciate Ligament]. Either way, it’s his season [done],” Dobson said about Nel.

Although the Stormers have been hit hard on the injury front in their first nine matches of the URC, Dobson remains unfazed about his dwindling squad headed into the new year.

“Suleiman [Hartzenberg] can play 13 and he’s a good 13. Ben Loader is coming back.”

Dobson also hinted at a player joining the Stormers to increase their centre stocks, but remained mum on any details.

Suleiman Hartzenberg of the Stormers during the United Rugby Championship match between DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls at DHL Stadium on 23 December 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)

‘Everybody feels like they belong’

After a slow start to the season, losing four matches on the trott in Europe, the Stormers have collected three healthy home victories over the last three weeks, against La Rochelle in the Champions Cup then the Bulls and the Sharks.

The nature of the fixtures has meant that Dobson has stuck with his first-choice players recently and many squad members have been without a match time. 

That’s a problem that will be addressed in the new year with a string of friendly matches.

“Next week, we will have a circuit break, with no rugby. Then we have Sale and La Rochelle in the Champions Cup. Then we have quite a nice run of friendlies against UCT, Maties, Griquas and a game against Northampton away,” Dobson said.

“Probably the most important thing about this whole group is that everybody feels like they belong and they have a role … That’s what makes us fight for victories like that.”

Over February and March, all Springbok players will have a mandatory eight-week break, which is of little concern to Dobson.

“This was always going to be our toughest period,” he said. “With the Springboks out, we’re probably one of the better teams around. It’s actually going to suit us, in a funny way.” DM