ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
REGISTER
LOGIN
ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
Saturday Jun 18, 2022

Stormers Take Home Inaugural URC Title

Cape Town played host to the first ever United Rugby Championship final. The all South African clash between the DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls was an absolute classic.

ADVERTISEMENT

The match had all the hallmarks of a top-level final as the momentum ebbed and flowed with both sides enjoying periods of dominance.

Big Players Stand Up In Big Moments

One player that stood out once again was Stormers number eight Evan Roos. The barnstorming backrow bulldozed his way through the Bulls defence on several occasions and was rewarded with a powerfully taken try that swung the contest in the Stormers favour.

Having already been named in the Springbok squad for their upcoming test series with Wales, many feel as though Roos is both the future and the present for the Bok number eight shirt.

Despite coming up just short, Jake White’s Bulls can hold their head up high. Having started the season on an awful note with a heavy defeat to Leinster in round one, the men from Pretoria have rebounded in incredible fashion.

Their resurgence has seen several of their players recalled into the Bok set-up. Spearheaded by captain Marcell Coetzee who has been quite frankly sensational since joining from Irish side Ulster.

An absolute powerhouse with ball in hand and a physical enforcer at the point of contact, Coetzee faces stiff competition from incumbent Bok captain Siya Kolisi for the number six shirt.

Continuing the theme of backrowers who have impressed, another twenty-two-year-old Elright Louw has been immense for White’s team this season.

ADVERTISEMENT

The former junior bok is a physical specimen at 6’5” and 112kg and will be in direct competition with Roos and Leicester Tigers Premiership winner Jasper Wiese for the number eight shirt for the series.

In trying conditions both sides showed ambition to play running rugby with both backlines showing some impressive handling skills.

Perhaps the most impressive back was Stormers inside centre Damien Willemse who at this rate will be pushing Munster’s Damien De Allender for the Bok number twelve shirt.

Whilst his physicality cannot be questioned it is Willemse’s wide range of attacking tools that could bring a new dimension to the South African attack.

ADVERTISEMENT

Willemse possess a huge boot as well as a slick passing game that is unlike any of the other centres in the current Springbok set-up.

Coaching Masterclasses Continue

Off the pitch both coaching staffs have to take a bow. Having both had a tumultuous start to the season, John Dobson and Jake White never strayed from the course.

White of course is a World Cup winning coach who appears at home at the Bulls. In some ways it is ironic considering based on his own autobiography, White struggled immensely with several Bulls stalwarts during his time as Springbok coach.

Should he continue to have success with the Bulls next season an international job post the World Cup might not be out of the question, most notable among them will be the English and Irish jobs.

For Dobson the win was built on years of hard graft within the Western Province structures. A notoriously difficult union politically with incredible financial difficulties, the Stormers success truly is remarkable given the off the field issues.

Should he have the ambition to do so, Dobson too could be in line for an international role down the line. By all accounts he is loved by his players and has his side playing perhaps the best brand of rugby in the URC.

An Undoubted Success

Finally, it has to be said that despite the negativity in certain corners, the addition of the South African sides has brought a renewed interest to a league that was struggling.

Had the South African sides not rebounded from their early disappointments and continued to flounder the experiment could’ve been over before it even started.

Instead, the Bulls did the impossible by knocking over European giants Leinster away from home nonetheless whilst the Stormers did their part to ensure the final would take place in South Africa.

What will be interesting next season is just how far they can go when thrown into the big leagues of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

There is no doubt their depth will be tested and perhaps their URC form may dip as they balance their squads, but what is not in doubt is that their addition to European Rugby has added a level intrigue to what had become a stale set-up.

Related Articles

  • 65 WEEKS AGO

    Cheslin Kolbe Joining Stormers

  • 67 WEEKS AGO

    John Dobson Western Province Rugby

  • 68 WEEKS AGO

    URC semi-final One Preview



ADVERTISEMENT

Great Tries

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    South African schoolboy produces the greatest goosey in the sport

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible team try showcases thrills of the grassroots game

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Highlights video shows just why Vakatawa’s return is so highly anticipated

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    Individual brilliance as player scores off his own kick off

  • 9 WEEKS AGO

    Match Report: Australia challenge the All Black HAKA in extraordinary test

View All

Big Hits & Dirty Play

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Tom Curry receives ban following red card tackle against Argentina

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Off the ball 'punches' being called out by fans following All Blacks vs Springbok match

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Scott Barrett's World Cup on the rocks following reckless shoulder charge

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Bizarre tackle school video divides viewers

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Springbok fans given a scare as Kolbe takes back-breaking hit

View All

See It To Believe It

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible team try showcases thrills of the grassroots game

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Dane Coles stunned as he hears news of Steve Hansen joining the Wallabies

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Moment of madness leads to incredible Springbok score

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Highlights video shows just why Vakatawa’s return is so highly anticipated

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    Individual brilliance as player scores off his own kick off

View All

Funnies

  • 16 HOURS AGO

    Irish players prove the work/life balance is possible even at a World Cup

  • 5 DAYS AGO

    Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber offers ice cold response at the press conference

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Stone Cole’d: Dan Cole channels his inner Steve Austin in brilliant behind the scenes action

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Chaos ensues as off-field substitute is caught up in try scoring opportunity

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Springboks set to sing additional song post national anthem in future test matches

View All

Amateur

  • 37 WEEKS AGO

    You Won’t See Many Better Than This Silky-Smooth Try From Llandovery RFC

  • 37 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes As Caldy RFC Hand Ealing First Championship Defeat Of The Season

  • 60 WEEKS AGO

    Dubious Score Decides Result Of Rugby's Biggest Schools Fixture

  • 61 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes At School Boys Rugby Match

  • 61 WEEKS AGO

    The Next Dominant Backrow?

View All

Player Features

  • 16 HOURS AGO

    Irish players prove the work/life balance is possible even at a World Cup

  • 16 HOURS AGO

    Watch Namibian wingers display incredible speed against Uruguay

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Vakatawa signs for English Premiership side in sensational return to rugby

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Exclusive: 'The Aussie DNA is missing' - David Campese reflects on Wallaby exit and ponders the future of Aussie rugby

  • 2 DAYS AGO

    France give confirmation of Dupont return thanks to superhuman recovery

View All