The Stormers have been notoriously slow starters in the United Rugby Championship in recent seasons.
They tend to improve as the campaign wears on, especially once their Springboks return and they are buoyed by home support during the summer months. Too often, though, they have been left chasing points to secure a top-eight finish and qualification for the play-offs and Champions Cup.
Part of the challenge has been that the Cape side have begun their campaigns overseas, making those opening fixtures even harder to negotiate.
This weekend, however, the Stormers will launch their URC season at home and in conditions expected to be glorious. They face defending champions Leinster at DHL Stadium on Friday night (7pm kick-off).
No rain is forecast, with temperatures in the mid-20s — but the opposition will be just as hot. Leinster, boosted by former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber, claimed their first URC crown last season by beating the Bulls in the final, and will be anything but pushovers.
Wing Seabelo Senatla, though, sees the clash as the ideal chance for the Stormers to make a statement.
“The challenge is great, and in turn it makes the opportunity great too,” Senatla said. “We haven’t started at home for a couple of years.
“The Stormers have been synonymous with slow starts and we want to change that. Having the faithful around always helps, and we play well at home.
“It’s a great challenge to be playing against Leinster in the first round. We kind of like it, as it sets the standard for the season and we have to maintain that.”
Unlike the Lions, who used the Currie Cup to give their squad plenty of game time before the URC, the Stormers opted for just one full outing against Boland and a half-match against the Sharks.
Assistant coach Dawie Snyman explained that this was by design, with a focus on player management and intensity in training ahead of a long season.
“It’s important to get the balance right in pre-season. You can’t play four or five games because it’s such a long campaign,” Snyman said.
“So we backed our pre-season and training methods. We had that game against Boland and a half against the Sharks, and we saw what we wanted to see.
“Leinster are in a similar scenario — they played one game against Cardiff. We have one or two new things in our system, but we’re also realistic. The first game might bring rhythm and combination issues, but we expect to go well on Friday.”
The Stormers will announce their team to face Leinster on Thursday.
