DHL Stormers back on top

The DHL Stormers head into the June international break on top of the Vodacom Super Rugby Africa Conference One once again.

Their 31-24 victory against the Toyota Cheetahs at DHL Newlands was their seventh this season, putting them four log points clear of their closest rivals the Vodacom Bulls at the top of the conference.

Having made a convincing start to the season with five wins from their first six games, the DHL Stormers went through a difficult period suffering defeats either side of a draw against the Sunwolves in Singapore, and Head Coach Robbie Fleck said that it was vital to get back to winning ways before the break.

“It’s a win, that’s the most important thing. It’s been a tough couple of weeks for us and going into this June break with a loss or a draw would have been hard to swallow. The win was important,” he said.

Fleck said that while it was not his team’s most complete performance, he was pleased with the character they showed to hold out for the win.

“We are not at our best, but we are working hard and the win was massively important for us.

“We have got to win every game going forward so we will keep fighting hard and we will find our form again soon,” he said.

With three games left in the regular season, the DHL Stormers next travel to Australia in July where they will face the Melbourne Rebels and the Western Force before returning to Cape Town for a clash with the Southern Kings at DHL Newlands.

Fleck said that those players not involved in the Springbok or SA ‘A’ squads will take 10 days off before returning to training in preparation for the final phase of the campaign in which they will look to keep improving.

“We are still in it, and we are fighting hard, and I certainly believe we can keep improving,” Fleck added.