HLUNGWANI CREDITS STORMERS CONDITIONING COACH FOR HELPING WITH AWAY FORM

IT’S not often that a team’s strength and conditioning coach gets credit publicly for helping to get the span to a higher level.

It therefore speaks volumes of the team culture in the Stormers camp that, when asked what the key to their turnaround in fortunes away from home is, forwards coach Rito Hlungwani did not hesitate to praise the work done by Riefaat Jappie.

The Kapenaars have, in the past, eaten some dust on the road. But so far this season they’ve wiped away alles in their path with six wins from six in the United Rugby Championship and one from one in the Champions Cup after beating Bayonne at the weekend.

They play a home game on Saturday, albeit in Gqeberha where they’ll host French big dogs La Rochelle at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

With the team being in gevaarlike form, it almost doesn’t matter where they play. Asked what they changed this season to win away from home, Hlungwani said in a virtual press conference on Monday: “I can’t give away all the secrets, but there have been small adjustments made around training. For example when we train, how we train and I must commend Riefaat Jappie, he’s come up with some nice ideas in collaboration with the coaches to make small adjustments.

“And at the moment it looks like it’s been really helpful…”

Hlungwani has also called on Eastern Cape rugby fans to stiek uit in support of the Kaapse span, who will have their full contingent of returning Springboks available for Saturday’s Champions Cup clash.

Hlungwani added: “It’s always nice to be playing at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

“There are lots of Stormers fans out there and we want to urge them to come watch us.

“We want to see them there and we want to really perform well for them… it’s something we are really looking forward to.”