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Stormers expected to play ‘a very high-pressed, high-tempo type of game’

Northern hemisphere side is ‘set out to break the hearts of the SA faithfuls’

Athenkosi Tsotsi Sports Reporter
John Dobson chats with the forwards during the DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province joint training session at High Performance Centre on May 23, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa.
John Dobson chats with the forwards during the DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province joint training session at High Performance Centre on May 23, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Image: Ashley Vlotman

The Northern and Southern hemisphere will be at a standstill tomorrow when the Stormers take on Irish province Munster in the Grand Final of the United Rugby Championship at a sold-out Cape Town Stadium.

The Stormers will be out to defend the title they won in the inaugural edition of the multinational competition, while Munster is set out to break the hearts of the SA faithful and rival fans from back home in Ireland.

John Dobson’s Stormers go into the match as favourites but they should know the tag won’t count on the day. Since the inception of the URC, the Cape Town-based franchise has beaten every team except their weekend opponents as they lost on the two occasions they have met.  

Former Stormers prop Robbi Kempson has warned his former side that they won’t have it easy against Munster but expects them to stick to their flamboyant style of rugby when approaching the game. 

“I expect them to play the way they have throughout the season. I think it will be a very high-pressed, high-tempo type of game,” Kempson said when speaking to Sowetan yesterday. 

“Munster will be a massive threat, they beat Leinster a couple of weeks back, and they are very well coached under Graham Rowntree, it’s a top side they will be playing against. 

“It’s going to be very physical and confrontational, but if the Stormers can get in the game like they can with regards to the pace and how they outmanoeuvre opponents, then it’s going to be an exceptional game,” he said. 

Kempson does not expect the Stormers Bok front-row of captain Steven Kitshoff, Joseph Dweba and Frans Malherbe to have a lot of influence in the scrums as the pitch is expected to not be in good condition. 

“It’s vitally important that they get some ascendancy, unfortunately, the pitch doesn’t allow for it, particularly in the scrum, it’s kind of an intimidating factor with regards to that all Springboks front row, which is by far the most powerful in the URC. If the pitch is not assisting in what they are trying to do, even if they can get one or two scrum penalties, it could be massive in the context of the game considering the pitch,” said the former Springbok international.

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