For Ruhan Nel, captaining the Stormers is not only an honour and a privilege, but also a boost to his game.
The34-year-old centre has led the Cape side to three straight Vodacom URC wins, putting them at the top of the log. He’s now aiming to maintain that momentum on their two-match tour to Italy, where they face Zebre Parma and Benetton.
Port Elizabeth-born Nel joined the Stormers in 2019 after spells with the Lions, Griquas and Western Province. This is his first stint as captain
It’s a massive honour,” he said. “When I was younger, I always said I didn’t think I’d ever be a captain. I play with too much emotion – my heart is on my sleeve.
“But it’s been a great experience. It’s something a lot of people dream about, to lead out their team one day, especially a team like the Stormers.
Since stepping into this role, I’ve been forced to be calmer and more level-headed on the field, which has helped my game. You’re more aware and your finger is more on the pulse.
This is not a one-man show. We have great leaders on the field – JD Schickerling in the lineouts, Neethling Fouché, who have captained before – and they’ve made the job easier. I’m privileged to be in this position.”
The former Blitzboks star, who played close to 150 sevens matches for South Africa, has led from the front this season. The Stormers have conceded just 10 points in their opening three matches, shutting out Leinster and the Scarlets and beating the Ospreys 26-10.
“When it comes to defence, it shows how much a team cares for one another,” said Nel. “Only leaking two tries in three weeks shows how hard the boys are working. We’re happy with the start. I’m never going to complain about a win.”
After a dominant 34-0 win over the Scarlets in Llanelli, the Stormers are targeting a perfect tour.
“We want to make this the most successful Stormers tour yet,” Nel said. “To do that, the set piece, lineouts, scrums and breakdowns have to function properly. If we’re sloppy, we can’t get into our natural flow.”
Head coach John Dobson agreed that the team’s defensive commitment will be key to success.
“Right to the end, the boys defended like we were on our tryline,” he said. “They chased kicks – that’s something you can’t coach.
“We can tweak a few things with ball in hand, but the focus is to win on this tour. We’ve had slow starts before, so this is a great chance to get three wins.
“In a league like this, which is a marathon, every game matters. You have to win away to host playoffs. It’s important for us to make a statement.”
Dobson confirmed that Salmaan Moerat, Warrick Gelant, Clinton Swart, Oli Kebble and Adre Smith have joined the squad in Italy.
