It is a disaster.
That is how John Dobson, the Stormers’ director of rugby, labelled the red card Damian Willemse received in Friday’s victory over Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship (URC) in Cape Town.
While the home side won 34-24 after a try in the final 10 minutes of the duel, they paid a heavy price, with Willemse now on a path to missing the quarter-finals after his head-high tackle in the build-up to a try.
Willemse and winger Leolin Zas tackled a Cardiff player, with the fullback coming in as the secondary defender. However, he was upright and made contact with the head of the ball carrier, leaving the referee no choice but to issue a red card.
His fate will now be in the hands of a disciplinary hearing, and a straight red card normally means a couple of weeks on the sidelines and a trip to World Rugby’s tackle school. It’s the same fate prop Neethling Fouché had a couple of weeks ago. He missed three games.
That could mean that Willemse’s season might be over if he receives a ban. But the fact that he was a secondary tackler could save his skin. Dobson said they will now have to wait to hear what his fate will be, but he knows it could be a real setback for the side.
“We will mount our best defence (for Damian),” Dobson said.
I am a bit sick about Damian Willemse!!
— Rágnár Ván Töndérsön (@Slipcatch) May 16, 2025
“I haven’t seen enough to comment on what the impact of Zassie’s (Zas) tackle was. I don’t know if it’s enough. It was our fault. Gaza (Willemse) was not released by Zas (on defence) on the inside, and he was stuck, then he turned. I don’t think he tried to hit him with the shoulder.
“The implications will be poor for us, I am sure. We can’t appeal anything yet until there is a decision. We will decide if we wait for them to give us a ruling or if we will go straight to a judicial officer. If we go straight, we will have more chances for a ‘better’ sanction.
“It sounds like it’s a grey area. But it’s a disaster for us.”
🌟 50th cap. One try. One statement. 😎
Suleiman Hartzenberg marked his milestone in style for the @TheStormers ⚡️@Vodacom #URC | #STOvCAR pic.twitter.com/l0pgJmAukT
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) May 16, 2025
On the match itself, Dobson said they had more or less the ideal game other than the red card.
The Stormers scored five tries, with the mercurial Manie Libbok at the helm of a few in his return match, and will be happy with how they ended off the round-robin stages. Wingers Leolin Zas and Suleiman Hartzenberg, playing in his 50th match, both scored two tries. Some fringe players also got some valuable game time ahead of the playoffs, and they greeted guys who are leaving the franchise at the end of the season with a good final home victory.
Play-offs here we come. #STOvCAR #iamastormer @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/up7MHlgdVz
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) May 16, 2025
Now the wait is on to see who they will face in the quarters. A trip to Glasgow or Durban is on the cards to face the Warriors or the Sharks. That picture will only become clear late on Saturday evening.
“We picked up no injuries and that is brilliant. Once we scored the four tries, we were in fifth place (on the log). Cardiff had to win to stay alive and that’s probably why they are not here (at the press conference).
“To be fair to us and as good as they were, because they fought and were organised and never went away. But, we never looked like losing and it was a good performance given the changes.”
