Share

Swys backs Stormers after Sunwolves shocker

Johannesburg - Lions coach Swys de Bruin says we should not read too much into the Stormers' shocking loss to the Sunwolves this past weekend.

In the upset of the weekend, coach Robbie Fleck's men went down 26-23 to the Japanese outfit thanks to New Zealand flyhalf Hayden Parker's last-second drop goal in Singapore. 

It is a result that has left the Stormers stranded at the bottom of the south African Conference and moving further away from a playoff opportunity. 

Next up for the Stormers is a date with the 2016 and 2017 tournament runners-ups, the Lions, at Newlands on Saturday. 

The Lions returned to winning ways with a 42-24 win over the Brumbies at Ellis Park, and they have consolidated top spot in the Conference. 

Looking ahead to the match this weekend, De Bruin said the Sunwolves deserved credit for their performances this season and that the Stormers would be back to their best on Saturday.

"To put things in perspective, the Sunwolves are a very good team," de Bruin said.

"They've taken many teams, like us, right to the end. People must realise now that that's a very good team and a well-coached team.

"The Stormers will be back and it will be a typical South African derby, so we expect nothing but a big arm-wrestle."

On his own side's performance against the Brumbies, De Bruin was largely satisfied. 

"There were a lot of errors, but we knew it would be an arm wrestle from the word go," he said.

"They (the Brumbies) are in your face. The big thing we decided on was that our discipline had to be better than theirs and, funny enough, that paid off at the end of the day."

Captain Franco Mostert was staying grounded.

"I won't say we're back on course, but I think the win gives us a little bit of a boost. There is a lot of stuff we have to go and work on," he said.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1189 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1377 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2103 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE