Stormers ‘all in’ on Champions Cup

Loose forward Ruan Ackermann says the Stormers have learned some valuable lessons from last season’s Investec Champions Cup.

The Cape side reached the round of 16, where a 28-27 defeat at Toulon ended their run.

With coach John Dobson having bolstered his squad with some key signings and off the back of a statement win over the Sharks in the URC, Ackermann is confident that the Stormers can start the new Champions Cup campaign with a win over English side the Bristol Bears in Cape Town on Saturday.

“Listen, we are all in on this tournament this season,” Ackermann said on the For the Love of Rugby: South Africa podcast. “I think last season we were all in as well, and we got to a stage where everyone was regretting some of the earlier mistakes we made in the competition.”

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Ackermann, who previously played for Gloucester, said Dobson had picked his brain on how England teams approach the competition. The difference, the 30-year-old told him, is obvious when you walk in on a Monday and it is Europe week.

“There was a big switch, and it’s a different jersey as well that you’ve been playing in the whole Prem,” he said.

“One of the big focus points was you want to go as deep in the competition as you can. The plan for the Stormers and Dobbo’s vision is really to go hard for this competition as well. So ja , everyone is excited for that.”

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That excitement extends to the squad’s experience. Asked about the big-name signings, including Siya Kolisi, Wilco Louw and Cheslin Kolbe, Ackermann said their big-match pedigree will help in Europe.

“Those guys who’ve played in World Cup finals and won them, I think they’ll bring a bit of a calmness in the week, which you need,” he said.

The other big challenge for South African teams is the travel, which Ackermann described in detail.

“There’s never a direct flight,” he said. “So you go via connection flight, Dubai or somewhere, and then it’s an eight-hour flight, connection flight, another eight-hour flight.

“You fly on a Monday. So you get there maybe the Tuesday afternoon, sometimes the Wednesday. You’ve got one training field session, captain’s run, into a game. So it’s never easy.

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“But I don’t think South African teams want to use that as an excuse,” he added. “It makes us almost more eager to win, because if you can get past those hurdles and the actual games, I think you’ll almost feel more deserving.”

Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images

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