You could hear a pin drop, says skipper

Rudolph Jacobs

Their dressing-room resembled a graveyard after they fell at the final hurdle against the Sharks at home last week, according to dejected Western Province captain Chris van Zyl (left).

The foundations had been laid, however, for the sustained future success of both the Province and Stormers teams, Van Zyl insisted.

“The change-room was dead after the game. There was obviously huge disappointment after everything we emotionally invested during our campaign.”

“Some of the guys who were with the Boks and then came back all bought into this emotion and team culture, and that’s why it was such a huge setback.”

While they felt they let their supporters down, Van Zyl said they could still bear the future fruit of their impressive run.

“The team dynamics and team culture in the Currie Cup two years in a row was some of the things we got right,” he said.

At one stage, with the Boks playing in New Zealand, Province had around eight forwards who were unavailable, and coach John Dobson credited their pack for maintaining their momentum.

“Before the campaign very little was known about Dan Kriel, Herschel Jantjies, Josh Stander or Ernst van Rhyn.

“They weren’t massive names on the local scene, so I think we built massive depth and the squad for Super Rugby is going to be fantastic,” Dobson said.