The Stormers have a tricky matchup in store against URC dark horses Connacht in their first round clash in Galway on Friday.
To Win
Connacht | Draw | Stormers
Handicap
Connacht | Stormers
Match context
John Dobson’s side have bid farewell to the likes of Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden, and with Stormers legend Frans Malherbe’s pro future in doubt, the acquisitions of Springbok regulars Cheslin Kolbe, Siya Kolisi and Wilco Louw will take on even greater significance for the Cape side this season.
Unfortunately, though none of that will have any bearing on this first outing against a Connacht outfit that will prove formidable opposition this weekend. As such, Dobson will need to rely on his other experienced campaigners to come to the fore, and their success on Friday will be directly influenced by the performances of the likes of Evan Roos and skipper Ruhan Nel.
The visitors fell to defeats in their only two pre-season games, against the All Blacks and Bulls, but little should be read into those results as the URC gets underway. The Stormers remain one of the favourites to win the title later this season and their quality in depth is such that they can probably afford a slow start.
Connacht came back from 24-14 down in the April tie between the teams on the SA west coast to ultimately shock the Stormers 31-24, and the memory of that encounter will be fresh in the minds of both camps as they each look to kick their season off with victory.
Under the stewardship of Stuart Lancaster, the western Irish outfit has come on in leaps and bounds and will be even stronger this term after going on a six-match winning towards the backend of last season to sneak their way into the knockouts. Having had more time under the experienced coach, and with Ciarán Frawley now on their books, they will be difficult to bring down.
Players to watch
Ciarán Frawley (Connacht)
Frawley just couldn’t string together enough consistent performances at Leinster to justify a regular starting role and will hope this change in scenery will reignite his club —and international — ambitions.
The 28-year-old Australian-born flyhalf, who famously slotted two late drop goals at Kings Park to win Ireland the second Test of their 2024 Test series against the Boks, still has time on his side and will be looking for a big start to the season to grab the eye of Andy Farrell ahead of the Autumn internationals.
If he can control proceedings off the boot and keep his team in the right areas, Connacht will have the upper hand, especially with handling errors expected and the Stormers traditionally favouring an attack-minded approach.
Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers)
From the outside looking in, it appears as though the talented loosehead may have to bide his time until the next World Cup cycle before becoming a regular staple in the Springbok squad. As for now, Mchunu will be channelling his focus into producing more big performances in the colours of the Stormers in a similar vein to last season.
The 27-year-old will have an important scrummaging role to play at the Dexcom on Friday as his side looks to gain a solid front-foot platform at what is a notoriously difficult venue for traveling supporters. His ball-carrying will also be important against Connacht’s tough-as-nails forwards.
Tactical overview
The Stormers’ all-action game will be under pressure in a place like Galway, where the weather always plays a huge part in affecting games. As such, Dobson’s charges may seek to utilize a more conservative approach with a greater focus on set piece accuracy, and it will be interesting to see how they fare in this regard considering the personnel changes they’ve had in their tight five.
Connacht meanwhile will be hoping their pre-season has provided Frawley with enough time to adjust to the Galway conditions, with much expected of the pivot following the retirement of club legend Jack Carty.
As with any first round encounter, unforced errors will invariably also play a role and the team that can best keep mistakes low while invariably capitalizing on those of their opponents will be at a huge advantage.
Prediction
This is a big ask of the Stormers first up, and Connacht should just have enough to take this one on the board.
