Bumper crowd likely at Newlands for Stormers
THE biggest crowd of the season is expected at Newlands tomorrow afternoon when the Stormers put their unbeaten record on the line against Sonny Bill Williams and the Chiefs from New Zealand.
The table-topping Stormers have made a great start to the season after four wins in their first four starts. But tomorrow they face arguably their toughest challenge to date against the 2012 and 2013 champions.
About 27 400 people attended the Stormers’ first match of the season against the Blues, while that number spiked to 40 232 during last Saturday’s derby against the Sharks.
The number tomorrow could be closer to 45 000 – almost 39 000 tickets have been sold so far – because of the 3pm kick-off, the sunny forecast, and it’s the Stormers’ last home match before they travel to Australasia for their fourmatch tour.
Most of all, though, a few thousand more souls are going to cram into Newlands to watch the biggest drawcard in rugby in the shape of All Blacks superstar Williams.
Whether you support New Zealand or the Springboks, there is always a sense of anticipation when the 1.94m, 108kg inside centre gets the ball in his hands. Williams’ dynamic runs and ability to come up with spectacular offloads in the tackle makes him a big fan favourite.
His battle with in-form Stormers No 12 Damian de Allende could also be worth the price of admission alone.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said yesterday he expected a great spectacle, with both teams looking to play exciting rugby in the dry conditions.
SONNY BILL WILLIAMS has made an impressive start to his boxing career – on paper that is.
A record of 7-0 is a great start in anyone’s book. But if you look at some of the “athletes” he has come up against, then it’s really no surprise why he is still unbeaten.
His last fight was against Chauncy Welliver, an overweight has-been who looked like he had been preparing for the fight at McDonalds’ jungle gym, and had been surviving on a diet of cheeseburgers and cream soda.
The American entered the ring 30kg heavier than the ripped Williams, and if we had the CSI cameras one would have probably spotted a few doughnut pieces in his beard. Someone tweeted “Is Sonny Bill fighting some punter from the crowd or what”, as it seemed like Welliver’s boxing trunks kept his stomach from heading even further south.
Welliver once sparred with the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Mike Tyson and David Tua in a 14-year professional career, but those are memories clouded in a haze of cake batter.
“SBW” also fought our very own “White Buffalo” Francois Botha in a fight that actually captured the imagination of quite a large television audience in South Africa. Botha was also way past his best when the fight happened, but could have actually beaten Williams had the fight lasted a few more rounds.
The overweight Botha actually had Williams on the run in the last few rounds of their fight, and when the winner was announced SBW couldn’t even lift his arms, which was very strange because he always manages to lift them through the tackle. But tomorrow afternoon at Newlands, under the gaze of Table Mountain and the bright African sun, Williams comes up against a guy roughly his own size. Damian de Allende doesn’t have a paunch, and like Williams he is ripped like a gladiator.
It’s undoubtedly the duel of the Super Rugby competition so far, and I think everybody will be glued to their seats to watch two of the form players in this season’s competition. Super Rugby does become a bit monotonous, as the conference system and points system that accompanies it make it a bit confusing and people tend to lose interest.
But a battle between two exciting players does breathe some fresh air into the competition. It makes for riveting television, and will definitely put more backsides in the stands.
Even Stormers’ backs coach Robbie Fleck, a wonderful centre during his time, is looking forward to the clash, while Chiefs captain Liam Messam is happy to have a front row seat.
“I’m excited, I think it’s going to be great. That is why people watch rugby, and I think the match-up is going to be great, to watch Springboks and All Blacks playing each other,” Fleck said.
“Both are in form and both are pretty similar in how they play the game. Damian is playing well and is working incredibly hard to expand his game. He is doing the basics well and executing his strengths. It’s a classic match-up. If that is what draws the crowds in, then let it be. I think it will be great.”
Messam added: “Their inside centre (De Allende) is strong on his feet, big and gets them over the advantage line in an efficient manner.
“(But) we also have a big inside centre in Sonny Bill, so hopefully they’ll meet each other on the gain line.”
Yeah, there’s some excitement in the air. It will be interesting to see if De Allende, who is not on a diet of fish and chips, can hand SBW his first knockout tomorrow afternoon.
AND DON’T FORGET TO WATCH ... It seems Blues coach John Kirwan has got a ready-made book of excuses this season. Watch him haul that book out again after their match against the Hurricanes.