The DHL Stormers are backing Warrick Gelant to provide a timely reminder of his ability when he battles Vodacom Bulls veteran fullback Willie le Roux. DYLAN JACK reports.
Gelant’s high-profile return to the Stormers from France has yet to pay full dividends, with the fullback struggling to find his footing in a backline that has been affected by injuries and the absence of World Cup-winning Springboks Manie Libbok and Damian Willemse.
STORMERS vs BULLS: When SA giants collide
The 28-year-old, who formed the key game management unit with Libbok and Willemse in the inaugural 2021-22 URC, has not quite replicated the form that helped the Stormers win their first major title.
There have been glimpses of Gelant’s class, such as when he almost created a try in the corner for Leolin Zas in the Champions Cup clash against La Rochelle, only for Manie Libbok to throw a forward pass to the winger.
As the Stormers prepare to host the Vodacom Bulls in the first north-south derby of the season, assistant coach Dawie Snyman said it’s the team’s onus to support Gelant and make sure he has options on the ball.
“It’s not just about Warrick. It’s about the team as well,” Snyman explained. “We know what Warrick can do, he does create a lot of opportunities for those around him.
“It’s our responsibility to give him the right information so that he can make the right decisions, and when he makes his decisions, that we run well off him.
“We back him, are full of confidence and we know what he can do.”
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The Vodacom Bulls travel down to Cape Town in good form, having benefitted from signing their own Springbok fullback in Le Roux.
The 34-year-old has hit the ground running in Pretoria, providing leadership and tactical nous in an exciting backline.
“We all know what Willie can do. He makes those around him look so good because he understands the game so well,” Snyman said.
“He knows how to put the ball into space, his left foot gives them balance, so for the young men at the Bulls, he must be very valuable. He’s a very dangerous player and a big factor in this game.”
While the Stormers are looking for a seventh straight win against their rivals, Saturday’s match will present them with a different challenge than they have faced previously against Jake White’s side.
The Vodacom Bulls overhauled their coaching staff and signed 12 players after getting knocked out in the quarter-finals last season, with their set-piece strengthened by the recruitment of former Stormers tighthead prop Wilco Louw.
“It’s something that they have worked on for a few seasons now. It’s not just happened between the seasons. One or two players there are making a big difference,” Snyman said.
“Wilco has been giving them stability in the scrums, and Willie’s ability to combine with other players, that’s what they are doing well at the moment.
“There is just that little bit more variation in their game, which is great. It’s a nice challenge for us. It suits their players as well. If you have Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie on the wings, you want to get them the ball and they are doing that well.”
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