Easter Weekend won’t be a sweet time for the Stormers in 2017.
Just after they host last year’s Super Rugby finalists the Lions at Newlands, they will have to make the marathon journey to Christchurch to take on the Crusaders, which will be followed by 2015 winners the Highlanders and defending champion Hurricanes in successive weeks. Talk about a tough schedule…
And this is all on Robbie Fleck’s plate after they didn’t face a single Kiwi team last year until they were blown away by the Chiefs 60-21 in a Newlands playoff.
But never mind, it’s no use for the Cape outfit to whimper. In fact, Fleck hopes it will have a galvanising effect for what is a fairly inexperienced Stormers side, where Eben Etzebeth’s 54 Springbok caps makes him the most senior player.
The Stormers have just completed their pre-season training camp in Hermanus, and Fleck spoke about how they intend doing things differently – from working on their skills, to conditioning, physicality and so forth, as ultimately he wants the players to “start enjoying their rugby” again.
The former Bok centre, though, knows the enormity of the challenge that awaits his team on their “tour of hell” to New Zealand. It will take a total mindset shift, as the Stormers reached the depths of despair in drawing 17-17 with the Sunwolves in Singapore last year.
They did well to win their three other tour games against the Jaguares, Rebels and Force, but 2017 will be at another level.
“We do have a hell of a tour, and the team has to mentally toughen up for those situations. Once again, I don’t want us to fear any opposition. I felt we had a good campaign last year, and it didn’t end off the way we wanted it to – there were a few rugby lessons there, on and off the pitch,” Fleck said.
“Physically, I felt that the Chiefs had the better of us, and conditioning-wise, as well as skills. When we engage with New Zealand teams, the Lions at home or Bulls at Loftus, we need to be physically and mentally better, have a better skill-set.
“We have to help the players become more natural in their skills and conditioning – that it’s not hard work, but becomes second nature. We didn’t play any Kiwi sides until the quarter-final last year, and now we will face them (in the league stages). The style of play (that we want to implement) suits the squad. We will be absolutely fearless in our approach.”
But before becoming excited about another false dawn, Stormers fans will have a chance to run the rule over their team in the last warm-up game against the Lions at Newlands on February 11.
Prior to that, they take on the Cheetahs in Harare on January 28, and the SWD Eagles in George on February 4.
Fleck has some major selection calls to make, especially in the backline where Huw Jones won’t be available until late March, while Jaco Taute is also at Munster in Ireland until June.
Seabelo Senatla is set to be back from Springbok Sevens duty in time for the Super Rugby opener against the Bulls on February 25, but he is unlikely to get any 15-man game time before then, while Leolin Zas (tibia) is out for about two months.
“We have always been pretty much system-driven and structured, so we hope the natural skill comes through. It may not be there from day one, but we want the players to start enjoying their rugby,” Fleck said.
“I just want to see progression (in the warm-ups). We set ourselves some goals on this camp, and we want to tick the boxes – our skill-set, decision-making. I’m not really concerned about the guys making mistakes.
“We will view some games as a trial process, where every player can challenge for a spot. We don’t want people to be comfortable, but rather to work hard. We will know our best team by the Bulls game.”
Stormers Super Rugby Draw:
Saturday, February 25: Bulls (7.30pm, Newlands)
Saturday, March 4: Jaguares (5.15pm, Newlands)
Saturday, March 11: Southern Kings (7.30pm, Port Elizabeth)
Weekend of March 17/18: Bye
Saturday, March 25: Sunwolves (12.55pm, Singapore)
Saturday, April 1: Cheetahs (3.05pm, Newlands)
Saturday, April 8: Chiefs (5.15pm, Newlands)
Saturday, April 15: Lions (5.15pm, Newlands)
Saturday, April 22: Crusaders (9.35am, Christchurch)
Friday, April 28: Highlanders (9.35am, Dunedin)
Friday, May 5: Hurricanes (9.35am, Wellington)
Weekend of May 12/13: Bye
Friday, May 19: Blues (7pm, Newlands)
Saturday, May 27: Sharks (5.15pm, Durban)
June Test Break
Saturday, July 1: Cheetahs (3.05pm, Bloemfontein)
Saturday, July 8: Sunwolves (7.30pm, Newlands)
Saturday, July 15: Bulls (7.30pm, Pretoria)
Super Rugby Qualifiers: Weekend of July 21/22
Super Rugby Semi-Finals: Weekend of July 28/29
Super Rugby Final: August 5