Road worriers: Stormers eye a first knockout win away from home in United Rugby Championship quarters against Warriors
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Tussle: Glasgow Warriors host the Stormers in URC quarterfinal. Picture: Craig Watson/INPHO/Shutterstock
The Stormers face uncharted territory when they take on the Glasgow Warriors in Saturday’s quarterfinal of the United Rugby Championship at Scotstoun Stadium at 8.30pm.
Because in their 26-year history as a franchise the Stormers have never been able to win an away knockout game in any form of competition.
The first time was back in 2004 when a Gert Smal-coached side reached the semifinals of the then-Super 12, only to get klapped 27-16 by the Crusaders in Christchurch.
In their first season of the European Champions Cup, the Kapenaars also came out second best as Exeter Chiefs beat them 42-17.
Yet under the coaching of John Dobson, the Stormers have gone on to give the middel vinger to historic results.
Like the fact that – before their first URC season in 2021/22 – they usually choked in playoffs in front of their fans.
But Dobson en sy manskap proved everyone wrong by winning the inaugural URC title at home, although the next season narrowly lost the final to Munster.
Bring the noise, Warrior Nation🏟️
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) June 4, 2024
General sale for our massive @URCOfficial quarter-final against @THESTORMERS this Saturday is now open!
Book your tickets now and help us make Scotstoun a sell-out! https://t.co/pGDedJLdpp#WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ pic.twitter.com/VPdD5onoPp
Now Dobson and his team want to go out and prove their detractors wrong again when they take on a Glasgow side they have never been able to beat at Scotstoun.
A confident Dobson says: “We would’ve loved to play at DHL Stadium, but for this team to really progress and become what we want to, we have to win these games on the road.
“In a funny way, I am welcoming it. It’s good for us.
Evan Roos barged over at the death as the DHL Stormers outscored the Glasgow Warriors by four tries to one in a bonus-point win at DHL Stadium in the 2021/22 Vodacom URC. #iamastormer #dhldelivershttps://t.co/jD97wYinqk pic.twitter.com/Noayu51h6m
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) June 6, 2024
“Since we got back from that early season tour, I said to the team, it feels like we have had a knife to our throat for a large part of the season. That adds pressure. [And] the fact that we punched through that to finish fifth is good.”
He adds: “It feels like there is an opportunity here, rather than a threat. I don’t feel like we are under massive pressure. We are excited about going overseas.”
Here is the DHL Stormers team for our @Vodacom #URC quarter-final against @GlasgowWarriors at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday night.
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) June 7, 2024
📢 Full team announcement https://t.co/FphMOBp05a#GLAvSTO #iamastormer #dhldelivers pic.twitter.com/PBw5o91yER