Stormers coach John Dobson knows his team must put all their focus on their clash against Connacht to secure their place in a the URC final. Photo: Thinus Maritz/BackpagePix
Cape Town - Their job is just this weekend. Nothing lies beyond tomorrow afternoon.
That is the mental approach the Stormers will take ahead of their United Rugby Championship semi-final against Connacht at Cape Town Stadium (4pm kick-off).
Although there will be a chance to reach back-to-back URC finals, the defending champions are wary of looking too far ahead just to come unstuck against a tricky Connacht.
“We got a ‘get out of jail’ card last week with that result,” coach John Dobson said, referring to his side’s home semi after Connacht dumped Ulster out of the competition.
“In these very tough economic times and the area where we are, most of our fans are not very affluent, so the people coming out in their numbers – the over 44 000 of last week and hopefully over 40 000 this week – we have to fight and take that responsibility.
“We might not be here again, and the people have taken their money to come and support us – there are so many alternatives (they could have spent their money on).
“We feel the weight of that: People choosing us, it means the world to the team. Even if we are not fighting for a home final, that’s out of our control, but we have to put in a performance.”
It will be the first time the teams face off at Cape Town Stadium, having previously played in Galway and Stellenbosch.
Although the Stormers will be more equipped to handle what the stadium turf and weather could bring, the Irish side h shown their adaptability this season.
They can easily play an expansive game, bringing their backline into play, while the win against Ulster was built on a solid defence and excellent dominance at the breakdown.
“We are quite impressed with their last two seasons. They play a really good attacking brand of rugby, and I have a lot of respect for them doing it in those conditions they play in most weeks at home,” Dobson said.
“But they have seemed to get a little more pragmatic lately – a bit tighter, their attack is not quite as wide. I know they think they can get around us – every team that plays against our sort of rush (defence) thinks there’s space around us. That is something we look forward to.”
According to Dobson, they learned a lot from that Ulster/Connacht quarter-final and are preparing for a big breakdown battle.
He especially highlighted Connacht’s ability to frustrate teams around the breakdown, which is something the Stormers will be paying close attention to.
This week, the team trained in the searing Stellenbosch heat with the assistance of one of SA Rugby’s top referees, Cwengile Jadezweni.
“We have to clear up a couple of things around the breakdown because if we look at the Ulster picture clearly, we saw that if you can’t protect your ball and get the cleaners in, you can’t keep the ball,” the Stormers mentor said.
“It’s edgy stuff we are looking at.” Dobson is concerned with how the surface will hold up after the rain and two captain’s practice sessions today, but his team should be able to navigate those pitfalls as they are more accustomed to the pitch.
@LeightonK