Stormers coach John Dobson has likened the Sharks’ squad to football’s “galacticos” team, Real Madrid, ahead of their Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash in Durban on Saturday.
Fresh off the back of a confidence-boosting victory over a star-studded Bulls side, the Stormers are scheduled to clash with the Sharks at Kings Park in Durban where they’ll be looking to secure another upset win.
Much like the Bulls, the Sharks have a Springbok-laden squad with the likes of Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Aphelele Fassi, Sbu Nkosi and Ox Nche on the roster.
Dobson says that while the Stormers might not have a squad brimming with superstars like their opponents, they do have a plan to negate the threat the Sharks will pose at Kings Park.
“I think it’s a case of our plans and the way the players are willing to play for each other,” said Dobson.
“Things got tough at Loftus Versfeld (against the Bulls) last week. We were in a place where many teams would have said, ‘right, we did well to stay in the fight, but they’re too superior’. But we did not do that. We could have even scored another try towards the end. Damian (Willemse) was half a metre from the tryline. For me, there is something special about it.
“If you want to talk about galacticos … players like Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya and Wilco Louw are gone with us, while Frans Malherbe is injured. We are no longer a team that can just push a button and milk a penalty kick at the scrums or through a rolling motion.
“We scrummed very well at Loftus, but tried to establish a more dynamic playing style in terms of our attacking play.
“This is a group that constantly wants to improve. Over the course of our tour, without the Boks, we made noticeable progress from game to game. I am excited about the team’s desire to grow.
“The Sharks are strong in the solid facets, good with their rolling mauls and kick a lot. When they gain physical dominance, you begin to see the pressure. That’s what we’re preparing for.”
