Cape Town — Saturday could well be the final game for Stormers captain Steven Kitshoff at Cape Town Stadium and his teammates are aware that they will have to do everything in their power to get a win to try and extend his run at home.
If the Cape side can get a victory over the Bulls in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final (3.30pm kickoff), and other results abroad go their way, they can have their long-serving loosehead prop play one more match at home.
A win over the old foe from Pretoria and if Connacht can win their Irish derby against Ulster, it will mean the defending URC champions and their captain can play at least one more match in front of their fans in the Cape.
Kitshoff leaves the Stormers this season and will take up a contract with Irish club Ulster after the World Cup in France.
“Everyone is well aware that it might be Steven’s last match at Cape Town Stadium,” Damian Willemse said.
“And he is a big player at the franchise and (we) respect him a lot. We obviously want to do it for him. But where this team is heading and what we, as a group want, is to put in a huge performance.
“It’s going to make us proud, the coaches, the union, and everyone that supports us. First things first is to get the win and we will definitely celebrate it.
“If it happens that results do not go our way and we don’t get to play another game with Steven at Cape Town Stadium, so be it. But for us as a group, we are focused to get our stuff right and be in the best position to win the quarter-final.”
Willemse has been instrumental for the Stormers as a utility back and slotted in as an inside centre against Benetton in their final round-robin fixture in Stellenbosch two weeks ago. He has played most of his games at fullback for the Stormers this season and that is likely where he will slot in this weekend.
It will possibly pit him against fellow Springbok Kurt-Lee Arendse and it’s a duel he is looking forward to. But Willemse says his focus will be on what he can contribute to his team.
“I know the one-on-one battles are something that will be spoken about but for myself, it’s to focus on what I can do for the team. If I can put the forwards in a good space to attack and get mauls, that’s what I am trying to focus on,” he said.
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