The DHL Stormers travel to Paris in the final round of the Champions Cup looking to secure a home playoff in hostile and unfamiliar conditions.
A thrilling Champions Cup pool stage finale will see the Stormers take on winless Stade Francais at Stade Jean Bouin, where the visitors will push to escape the Pool of Death.
Unbeaten Leinster currently top Pool 4 (on 14 points) and face the Leicester Tigers having already secured their place in the last 16.
The Irish giants are followed by the Stormers and Tigers (both on nine points), while defending champions La Rochelle (seven points) travel to Manchester to face Sale Sharks (five) in another game that could be crucial to determining the outcome of the pool.
The Stormers’ previous trip to France saw them surrender a 14-3 half-time lead in a 24-14 defeat to Clermont in subzero conditions last year. The weather is expected to be similar in Paris this weekend, while the Stormers will also have to contend with an emotional crowd that will undoubtedly turn up the pressure on the visitors.
“Technically, we can still be eliminated if we don’t get any league points and other teams accumulate points. We have to play good rugby because we are coming up against a team with Test players and the crowd on their side,” said Stormers skills coach Labeeb Levy.
“Actually, we want the crowd not to be kind to us because it can cultivate psychological toughness. It can help us now and in the future.
“Last year it was our first experience in the cold in Clermont,” the assistant coach said. “This time we go in with that experience of playing in those behind us.
“In terms of the conditions, it is about being mentally tough. If it snows, you play in the snow. If it is ice cold, you play in the cold. If it rains, you play in the rain.”
Levy said that the Stormers won’t be changing too much about their approach, despite coming from a climate in Cape Town’s 30-degree summer.
“There will be a tweak here and there, because of the conditions,” Levy said.
“We will tweak the game plan a bit, but we don’t want to change too much. in terms of how we want to play. It will be like this past weekend, where the players found themselves in certain situations and saw opportunities.
“They made those calls on the field. The one massive positive of the team is that they find solutions on the field.
“We want to go for the win, because our aim is to get home-ground advantage in the playoffs. It’s all in our hands and that is our focus.
“If we want to be a champion team we have to adapt and win away from home.”
Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
