Stormers Take on Racing92 in Paris, Looking for Champions Cup Knockout Stage

The Stormers will look to rest a few of their top players in their next Champions Cup match in Paris on Saturday, but qualifying for the knockouts is still a top priority for the Cape outfit.

After taking Sale Sharks to the cleaners this past weekend in Cape Town, winning 40-0, their next target is Racing92 in the final group clash that could determine their progression in the competition.

The Stormers are on a three-match winning streak in all competitions and have bagged a maximum of 15 points in those matches. Saturday’s five points from their win over Sale Sharks took them above Sale and Racing in Pool 4, putting them in a strong position.

While their fate is still not in their own hands, they need five points in France and a win-favour from the Glasgow Warriors, who face Harlequins in the final round, to make it into third place. The Stormers are currently on the same points (five) as Harlequins but sit in fourth because of a poorer points difference.

Coach Dobson made it clear that the team is committed to securing a win in Paris. “We will go for it,” said Dobson. “There is not one game that we won’t challenge to win. But we might look to wrap one or two guys in cotton wool. The reality is, next weekend we play Leinster in Dublin (in the United Rugby Championship), so we might have to rest some players who have been carrying high loads from the Summer Series.”

The squad will go into the game with determination, as qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions Cup is a top priority. Dobson emphasized, “As a group, we pride ourselves in making the playoffs of every competition we’ve been in, and we will be determined.”

The 28 players leaving for France are riding high after their dominant victory over Sale Sharks, where they scored some spectacular tries in front of a 20,000-strong crowd at DHL Stadium. Despite an early defensive struggle, the Stormers bounced back with a commanding 40-0 win.

The match against Sale wasn’t without controversy, with prop Frans Malherbe receiving a yellow card for repeated scrum infringements. Dobson, however, expressed skepticism about the calls made against Malherbe. “He’s got the world’s best tighthead sin-binned in a half, that is an achievement. I must be careful now, I don’t want to be the cause of someone to stop refereeing,” Dobson said.

While their Champions Cup performance is important, Dobson stressed that the team’s primary focus remains the United Rugby Championship (URC). “Our day job remains the URC,” Dobson said. “We must just keep perspective where we are in the competitions.”

The Stormers will travel to France with their eyes on both the Champions Cup knockouts and their ongoing quest for URC glory. Their next Champions Cup match against Racing92 could be the game that seals their fate in the competition.

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