The Stormers want to make their fans smile. (Photo: Hansie Linde)
The Stormers may hold sway on their home turf, but they will not underestimate Connacht in the upcoming United Rugby Championship semi-final at the DHL Stadium.
The Galway side qualified for the play-offs when the members beat Ulster 15–10 in the quarter-final.
According to John Dobson, the Irish team are tough opponents, but the long flight may have an influence on their sharpness.
“We can be confident, but that confidence should not be interpreted as arrogance,” said the Stormers coach.
“We have a lot of respect for Connacht’s team culture and values. They don’t just lie down, while they are also very good on the attack. At the same time, they also made Ulster read a lesson at the breakdown points.”
The Stormers have dealt with the Irish visitors in the Cape before – they won 38-15 in Stellenbosch at the time.
However, Hacjivah Dayimani believes that Connacht is now a horse of a different color.
“We don’t expect an easy game at all. In fact, we have never underestimated any of our opponents, but we want to win every single game,” he said.
According to the loose forward, the home team will throw everything into the battle to successfully defend its HRC title.
“We are now only concentrating on the match against Connacht and we are only too aware of what they can achieve on a rugby field.”
He added that the Stormers play to make their fans proud and he hopes that even more fans will descend on DHL Stadium.
An attendance record was broken last week when 44,109 spectators attended the quarter-final against the Bulls.
“It was great to see. A few years ago – before Covid – the stadiums felt empty and now people want to see us play. Our main goal is to make Cape Town smile.”
The match starts at 16:00 on Saturday and the action will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
- Results of previous matchups:
Stormers 38–15 Connacht in Stellenbosch
Connacht 19–17 Stormers in Galway
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— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) May 10, 2023
