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Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town - If the Stormers are almost certain to have "won" what might be termed a major trophy for the first time since 2001, they are decidedly reluctant to shout about it from the rooftops.
The Newlands cupboard has not had anything of significant gravitas in it since the Currie Cup final at the ground almost a decade ago, when Western Province beat the Natal Sharks 29-24 and Corné Krige was hoisted onto team-mates' shoulders clutching the coveted spoils.
So the SANZAR announcement this week that each of the three conference winners in the new-look Super Rugby competition will earn a trophy, almost certainly means that they'd better rummage about for the key to the display cabinet in the vicinity of Boundary Road, as it will take a minor miracle for the Stormers to be eclipsed to the honours by the Bulls at the weekend.
Asked how it felt to be on the brink of receiving a cup, captain Schalk Burger found it hard to suppress his giggles.
"Uuuh ... I've been prepped what to say, guys," said Burger, to similar hilarity from the assembled media on Wednesday.
"Obviously it's fantastic ... (cracking up with laughter now, and barely able to speak further - Sport24) to be lifting a trophy ... but there's bigger things to come later in this year."
Asked for his own thoughts on the pre-final trophies on offer under the new dispensation, coach Allister Coetzee, ever the realist, said: "Let me put this trophy thing to bed ... I think mathematically the Bulls can still win it, am I right? You’re the clever blokes.
"That’s why I don't want to go here ... but it would be great to put your name on this trophy. When you win it, yes, it'll be an achievement and a tribute to the players.
"But really, we've worked for seven months, and definitely not for that trophy (specifically)."
The light-hearted theme to the press conference was maintained as Sport24 sought confirmation from Coetzee that scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage would effectively be the flyhalf cover should returning Peter Grant suffer any further misfortune on Saturday in a dreadfully jinxed berth of late for the Stormers.
Quipped Burger, interjecting: "I don't think anyone's going to wear 10 on his back ... Peter will be at 23 for us."
"Exactly," confirmed Coetzee. "Yes, he (Duvenage) will have to cover that position."
But even that scenario is slightly complicated by the fact that the versatile, first-choice scrumhalf has a tight quad muscle and did not run in the rain at morning training.
"Dewies is a bit stiff today, but I’m positive he can make it for Saturday. I’m just cautious about running him in the wet in case he aggravates it," said Coetzee.
Duvenage not making it onto the Free State Stadium turf would virtually put the Stormers back to square one in terms of their "inexperienced halfbacks" issue, as seasoned Springbok Ricky Januarie - albeit out of form - is now injured as well and rookie Louis Schreuder is among the travelling reserves.
Cape Town - If the Stormers are almost certain to have "won" what might be termed a major trophy for the first time since 2001, they are decidedly reluctant to shout about it from the rooftops.
The Newlands cupboard has not had anything of significant gravitas in it since the Currie Cup final at the ground almost a decade ago, when Western Province beat the Natal Sharks 29-24 and Corné Krige was hoisted onto team-mates' shoulders clutching the coveted spoils.
So the SANZAR announcement this week that each of the three conference winners in the new-look Super Rugby competition will earn a trophy, almost certainly means that they'd better rummage about for the key to the display cabinet in the vicinity of Boundary Road, as it will take a minor miracle for the Stormers to be eclipsed to the honours by the Bulls at the weekend.
Asked how it felt to be on the brink of receiving a cup, captain Schalk Burger found it hard to suppress his giggles.
"Uuuh ... I've been prepped what to say, guys," said Burger, to similar hilarity from the assembled media on Wednesday.
"Obviously it's fantastic ... (cracking up with laughter now, and barely able to speak further - Sport24) to be lifting a trophy ... but there's bigger things to come later in this year."
Asked for his own thoughts on the pre-final trophies on offer under the new dispensation, coach Allister Coetzee, ever the realist, said: "Let me put this trophy thing to bed ... I think mathematically the Bulls can still win it, am I right? You’re the clever blokes.
"That’s why I don't want to go here ... but it would be great to put your name on this trophy. When you win it, yes, it'll be an achievement and a tribute to the players.
"But really, we've worked for seven months, and definitely not for that trophy (specifically)."
The light-hearted theme to the press conference was maintained as Sport24 sought confirmation from Coetzee that scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage would effectively be the flyhalf cover should returning Peter Grant suffer any further misfortune on Saturday in a dreadfully jinxed berth of late for the Stormers.
Quipped Burger, interjecting: "I don't think anyone's going to wear 10 on his back ... Peter will be at 23 for us."
"Exactly," confirmed Coetzee. "Yes, he (Duvenage) will have to cover that position."
But even that scenario is slightly complicated by the fact that the versatile, first-choice scrumhalf has a tight quad muscle and did not run in the rain at morning training.
"Dewies is a bit stiff today, but I’m positive he can make it for Saturday. I’m just cautious about running him in the wet in case he aggravates it," said Coetzee.
Duvenage not making it onto the Free State Stadium turf would virtually put the Stormers back to square one in terms of their "inexperienced halfbacks" issue, as seasoned Springbok Ricky Januarie - albeit out of form - is now injured as well and rookie Louis Schreuder is among the travelling reserves.
