This Saturday at Cape Town Stadium, the Stormers are set to deliver a poignant tribute amidst a Vodacom URC bout against Connacht. The match is shadowed by the recent loss of beloved team manager Chippie Solomon and marks a potential farewell for veteran hooker Scarra “Scat” Ntubeni, who might be hanging up his boots after a storied tenure with the club.
Coach John Dobson shared his sentiments on the week's emotional charge, “This game is significant for a number of reasons, but overwhelmingly for Chippie,” he stated. “Out of tragic necessity, Chippie’s dreams have become ours.” The mood in camp is somber yet determined, as the team seeks to channel their grief into a performance worthy of their fallen manager and their departing warrior.
“Obviously with Uncle Chippie, it’s been a tough week, probably one of the heavier weeks I think this group will experience in most of our careers,”
Captain Ruhan Nel commented. He further elaborated on the squad’s resilience, “The team really got through some good work, good conversations and we managed actually to still grow, acknowledging the tough time that we’re in, but also being able to shift our focus to getting some rugby done as well.”
Nel also touched on the delicate balance of emotion playing a role in their upcoming game. “There’s a difference between having emotion and being emotional,” he explained. “It’s about channelling that in the right way and using it to do our jobs.”
Scarra Ntubeni, a fixture in the Stormers setup since he was 20, is contemplating this match as his last. “Scatti is an absolute Stormers man, a Province man and the ultimate teammate,” Nel praised. “He might not be involved in a matchday squad every single week, but the contribution he brings to the team, the level of emotional and physical investment is always right up there.”
Dobson also lauded Ntubeni’s lasting impact, “He’s one of the top handful of people I’ve ever coached,” expressing the team's collective desire to make Saturday a memorable one for Ntubeni. “We wanted one definite game where we could all acknowledge one of the great servants of Stormers rugby. Let’s give ‘Scat’ a proper farewell.”
The team will see Sacha back at the number 10 spot, adding a strategic twist to this emotionally charged fixture. As Cape Town gathers to see off one of its heroes and remember another, the stadium is expected to be a crucible of high emotions and fierce rugby action.
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This Saturday at Cape Town Stadium, the Stormers are set to deliver a poignant tribute amidst a Vodacom URC bout against Connacht. The match is shadowed by the recent loss of beloved team manager Chippie Solomon and marks a potential farewell for veteran hooker Scarra “Scat” Ntubeni, who might be hanging up his boots after a storied tenure with the club.
Coach John Dobson shared his sentiments on the week's emotional charge, “This game is significant for a number of reasons, but overwhelmingly for Chippie,” he stated. “Out of tragic necessity, Chippie’s dreams have become ours.” The mood in camp is somber yet determined, as the team seeks to channel their grief into a performance worthy of their fallen manager and their departing warrior.
“Obviously with Uncle Chippie, it’s been a tough week, probably one of the heavier weeks I think this group will experience in most of our careers,”
Captain Ruhan Nel commented. He further elaborated on the squad’s resilience, “The team really got through some good work, good conversations and we managed actually to still grow, acknowledging the tough time that we’re in, but also being able to shift our focus to getting some rugby done as well.”Nel also touched on the delicate balance of emotion playing a role in their upcoming game. “There’s a difference between having emotion and being emotional,” he explained. “It’s about channelling that in the right way and using it to do our jobs.”
Scarra Ntubeni, a fixture in the Stormers setup since he was 20, is contemplating this match as his last. “Scatti is an absolute Stormers man, a Province man and the ultimate teammate,” Nel praised. “He might not be involved in a matchday squad every single week, but the contribution he brings to the team, the level of emotional and physical investment is always right up there.”
Dobson also lauded Ntubeni’s lasting impact, “He’s one of the top handful of people I’ve ever coached,” expressing the team's collective desire to make Saturday a memorable one for Ntubeni. “We wanted one definite game where we could all acknowledge one of the great servants of Stormers rugby. Let’s give ‘Scat’ a proper farewell.”
The team will see Sacha back at the number 10 spot, adding a strategic twist to this emotionally charged fixture. As Cape Town gathers to see off one of its heroes and remember another, the stadium is expected to be a crucible of high emotions and fierce rugby action.