Kimberley will provide the perfect opportunity for some United Rugby Championship (URC) players of the Stormers to stretch their legs ahead of the new season.
Western Province will throw some of them in the mix in their final Currie Cup clash tomorrow against Griquas in the Northern Cape, but not all URC guys will get a run. The dry field and expected heat should prepare the players for what awaits in November, December, January and February in Cape Town when they play in the URC and Champions Cup.
The Stormers will now open their URC campaign away against the Ospreys on September 28 after they were initially scheduled for a North v South derby against the Bulls a week earlier. But because the Currie Cup final will be decided on the 21st, the SA derbies were postponed until next year.
After a fighting win over the Pumas on Sunday, WP had a short turnaround ahead of tomorrow’s 3pm clash, and they will slot in some fresh players to try bag another win in a campaign that hasn’t gone their way in terms of results on the field.
“We are definitely using some URC players to get match-ready for the coming season,” assistant coach Dawie Snyman confirmed.
“The Springboks who played for us are in camp with the Boks and training with them, but if someone gets released and needs some game time, we definitely will allow them to play for us.”
The Round One @Vodacom #URC North-South clash with the Vodacom Bulls at DHL Stadium will now take place in early 2025 to avoid a clash with the Carling Currie Cup Final. #iamastormer https://t.co/Ditg0PjSSF
A win in Kimberley will see Province end above the Peacock Blues in the competition, but more importantly, it could end a six-match losing streak against Griquas. One player who will be eager to step onto the rugby field again is winger Suleiman Hartzenberg.
He is keen to add to his caps in the Province jersey after an injury last year kept him from completing the campaign.
“I’m very interested to see what happens in Kimberley, I haven’t played there yet,” Harzenberg said this week.
“I heard the weather, altitude and playing at 3pm is not an easy time. The Griquas will come out firing in their last game of the season. We are expecting them to run the ball. But we are not too focused on what happened in the past.
“If you are going to worry about past results you are never going to move forward as a team. The past results have nothing to do with what’s coming on Friday.”
In the other Currie Cup matches this weekend, the Lions will look to secure top spot on the log by beating the Griffons on Friday. A day later, the Pumas and Free State Cheetahs will decide the last semi-finalist, while the Sharks and Bulls close out the group stages on Sunday in Durban.