There will therefore be a showdown in England and a showdown in the URC between the Stormers and Glasgow. The Cape players could, in case of victory, move to the top three days before the end and make up for their surprising defeat last week at home against Connacht (33-24). But in South Africa, the most heated debate concerns Damian Willemse, whom his coach John Dobson has been playing on the wing for three matches.
The double world champion has played in every position in the backline in his career. He played the final of the 2023 World Cup at full-back, but he has also been seen at fly-half and inside center under the national jersey and that of the Stormers. Dobson gave him the number 14 due to the injuries of Seabelo Senatla and Suleiman Hartzenberg while Dylan Maart returned to the Griquas at the end of his loan deal.
Winger, a waste?
The experiment started against Edinburgh and his coach believed that Willemse would bring his expertise in aerial duels. And it’s true, he was very good at this exercise and was kept on the wing for the following two games. But many observers do not hide their surprise, like Schalk Burger for example. The former world champion flanker in 2007 believes that Willemse’s use is a “waste”: “We have quality players but it is clear that we have problems on the wing. We have no one left. But I really think we should play Damian Willemse at 15 or 12 because he needs to be as involved as possible in the game. He did some decent things on the wing but everyone wants their best and most talented players to touch the ball as much as possible and that goes through his positioning at full-back or center.”
Burger’s comments came after the defeat against Connacht, which seemed to prove him right. In fact, Dobson admitted that Willemse could no longer continue to play in that position and his assistant Dawie Snyman nodded, hinting that Senatla and Harzenberg could return very soon. There was a sense of nervousness among the Stormers, already eliminated by Toulon in the Champions Cup and where another superior talent, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, is not going through the best period of his life at fly-half.
