Ruhan Nel, the captain of the Stormers, candidly expressed that his team learned a lot from their recent defeat against the All Blacks during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry event held in Cape Town. The game ended 38-21 in favor of the visitors, following a 14-7 halftime lead for the All Blacks. The Stormers, who last competed in June against Leinster in the Vodacom URC semi-finals, have their season opener against Connacht on September 25.
Nel highlighted the superior intensity brought by the All Blacks, which challenged the Stormer's defensive strategies immensely.
"After the first 10 minutes, it’s really quick. They shift the ball well through the hands, and they find space easily. When they get momentum … you know the kick is not coming, you know the run is coming. It’s definitely a cut from a different cloth than what we’ve faced over the last couple of months, or couple of years."
The Stormers’ defense, developed under Jacques Nienaber and later refined by Norman Laker, was thoroughly tested, an experience Nel found beneficial.
"I told Norman on the field, ‘that’s exactly how it should be’. You need to feel like you’re playing against an international team. It was great for our defensive system to be put under that pressure."
Nel acknowledged that no one expected a win against the formidable All Blacks, though there were moments when the outcome could have swung differently.
"No one actually gave us a chance before this. Am I surprised by the result? No, I’m not – it’s the All Blacks. There was an opportunity or two out there that if we handled it a bit better, we could’ve probably sat here singing a different song."
The emotion of the occasion was not lost on Nel, who found the experience of leading his team and participating in the anthems profoundly moving.
"There’s not a lot of the boys who have had the opportunity to sing the national anthem before a game. Also hearing the New Zealand anthem before you sing your own … You feel like you’re part of something bigger. I was telling myself I’m going to sing and then the moment the anthem started, I was like, no, I’m going to keep my mouth shut otherwise I’m going to cry," he shared. "We stepped up to the occasion as well … to face the haka was something special, and that we’re fortunate to be a part of."
As the Stormers prepare for their upcoming match against Connacht, the lessons learned from this high-intensity clash with the All Blacks will undoubtedly play a crucial role in their strategic adjustments and mental fortitude going forward.
