Psychologist says goodbye to Stormers

Cape Town - Sport psychologist Henning Gericke has ended his association with the Stormers.

Gericke, 56, was contracted to the Cape franchise until July 2017, but told Netwerk24 he will no longer work with the team.

Gericke first joined the Stormers in April 2014, shortly after Gert Smal was appointed as WP Rugby’s director of rugby.

Previously Gericke worked with the Springboks when they won the 2007 Rugby World Cup under Jake White.

Gericke, who has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Pretoria, is well renowned in his field and also worked with South Africa's swimming team ahead of the 2012 Olympics, while also helping the Proteas cricket team in the past.

During Gericke's tenure at the Stormers and Western Province, the Capetonians achieved relative success.

Western Province won the Currie Cup in 2014, were beaten finalists the following year, and lost in the semi-finals in 2016.

The Stormers won the South African Conference in the 2015 Super Rugby season, before losing heavily (39-19) in a home playoff to the Brumbies.

In 2016, the team topped Africa Conference 1, before once again losing convincingly (60-21) in the quarter-finals at Newlands, this time to the Chiefs.