Norman Laker’s mojo as the DHL Stormers’ defence coach returned with the 32-19 Vodacom URC win over the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus and so afterwards has his penchant for providing quotes that while ranking in the realms of the cliche aptly sum things up without wasting words.
When the Stormers went into their three-match blip - actually it was four defeats in four games if you add the big loss to Harlequins in the Investec Champions Cup - there may have been an excess of words and an excess of voices. One man absent during that losing sequence, and indeed in the month or so before that when the blip might have been seen coming, was Ruhan Nel.
This time last year you might not have spoken about Nel’s absence from the playing field from a leadership perspective, but to those paying attention that should have changed in September and October last year. It was then that Nel took the leadership reins of the Stormers in the absence of some of the previous regular captains, and it coincided with a dream run of successful results.
It wasn’t as if the Stormers started off with a dream run of games at home either - the win in Limerick over Munster was at a venue where few visiting teams do well, the win over Benetton in Treviso was also emphatic, the Champions Cup win over Bayonne was in inhospitable France and even Zebre and the Scarlets are not away opponents that should be scoffed at.
IN CHARGE WHEN CAPE SIDE PLAYED A CONTROLLED GAME
Nel was at the helm for most if not all those games, when the Stormers followed a controlled, physically dominant and tactical strategy that shut out their opponents.
A time when the gift scoring opportunities presented to the Hollywoodbets Sharks in the two impactful losses in the coastal derbies, and even the sides they beat before that playing a much looser game, were noticeably absent.
So was Nel, so it was interesting to hear him say after the emphatic Loftus win that one of the decisions made in the buildup to the Bulls game was to minimise the input of the various team leaders and focus on one voice to follow for a unified effort.
“We have captains in each department and that has worked for us but sometimes you can just have too many voices. I think we got to the point where there were maybe too many cooks that were spoiling the broth,” chortled Laker.
“Apart from Ruhan we had senior guys like Brannas (Deon Fourie) and Neethling (Fouche) back in the team, both of whom have played for us for a long time. So they know what I expect (as defence coach) and they know what Dawie (Snyman) expects as an attack coach.”
BRILLIANT DEFENSIVE ORGANISER
Having Nel back, not only as captain but as the leader of Laker’s special discipline, defence, was, however, the biggest reason that the Stormers took a massive step forward in the URC, as it was no coincidence that when he was in charge of the team the Stormers led the defensive stats in the competition by a country mile.
“Ruhan and I have known each other for a long time and we have worked together for a long time. We have won a Currie Cup together and we have won a URC together. He understands what is happening in my brain and I understand what is happening in his. He is one of those guys who spends a lot of time analysing teams.
“When Ruhan was away injured he did not just disappear from the team environment. He was still there helping off the field, and analysing teams. His communication is really good. When he is wearing the No 13, he and Warrick (Gelant) or Damian (Willemse) if he is at No 15 communicate really well with each other.”
GOOD COMMUNICATOR
Willemse was in fact the man teamed up with Nel in the Stormers midfield at Loftus and believes the understanding the pair have built up through many years of playing together helped bring some calmness.
“Ruhan is a great leader and we have been teammates for almost 10 years, we’ve played together since the 2017 Currie Cup,” said the Springbok backline star.
“He boasts so much experience and brings so much energy when he plays, not just on the field but the work he does behind the scenes. He does a lot of work with the game drivers and he is always communicating with them and asking their opinions.
"He really is a great captain and it was massive to have him back. Even that last try we scored, through Hacjivah Dayimani where I put the kick through, he was really involved in the creation of it. He also brings so many other parts that people don’t see.”
Willemse expects the midfield partnership to improve on the Loftus performance if they stay together in the home run of games that await the Stormers now.
“Having Ruhan back makes a huge difference, particularly in defence. We still slipped a few here and then but it was my first game in several weeks and Ruhan’s first in a couple of months so we can only improve and get better,” said Willemse.
WON’T UNDERESTIMATE IMPROVING DRAGONS
Nel though is likely to be the first person to remind his teammates to keep their feet firmly rooted to the ground as the Dragons come visiting DHL Stadium for the round 13 game on Sunday. Not that either Laker or Willemse need to be told that.
“The win at Loftus was a massive one for us in terms of how it sets us up on the log, and we are sitting nicely, but we have another big game coming up now and we can’t let it slip. They are now the top team in the competition on defence and have shown in recent games that they are a quality outfit who are now putting their best foot forward,” Willemse said.
Laker joined Willemse in assuring Stormers fans that the Dragons won’t be underestimated.
“Damian has said it, the stats from 1 January show that the Dragons have been the best defensive team in the URC over that time,” said the Stormers defence coach.
“Even before that they were good, they have been a great defensive team right from the start of the season. They have a new Kiwi coach who has brought something new and they also have new players, like (flyhalf) Tinus de Beer, who has moved there from Cardiff.
"They will come to Cape Town looking for a win, not just to make up the numbers, and we are preparing for a klip (stone) hard game.”
The Stormers team for Sunday’s match will be announced on Thursday.