Not only does Cape Town have the mountain. Maddeningly, it also has the most feverish rugby fans in the country. The most loyal too.
Fifty-five thousand of them will pour into the DHL Stadium tomorrow; as much of an endorsement as any that the ancient North-South rivalry is as strong as ever. There is no bigger local rugby derby than the Stormers against the Bulls – the self-assured, swaggering hosts against the big, hairy bunch from up-country.
You can put on all the games you like, but few measure up to this one – first played in 1938 as Northern Transvaal against Western Province – with its traditions, characters and wild moments.
That it’s kept its reputation says much for the enduring success of both. The pair remain giants of the local game and have since broadened their ambition, first in Super Rugby and more latterly the URC.
The Stormers may be limping into this fixture – they’ll be missing heavyweights Manie Libbok, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse – but they have history on their side. At one point they’d won seven in a row until the Bulls up-ended them at Loftus Versfeld last season.
Even so, the Stormers at home are all-conquering heroes. They’ve won their last dozen fixtures there against SA teams, so a visiting Bulls team with flared nostrils and big, ugly forwards won’t overly intimidate them.
The Bulls are well set. They lie third on the standings knowing full well how important homeground advantage will be at the back-end of the competition. That can only come if they build on their six URC wins.
The Stormers have had better seasons, their 12th place reflecting their neither-her-nor-there form.
The atmosphere is bound to be buzzing and even the Bulls are sure to lap up the noise and the fanfare on what should be a grand occasion.
Bravo, Cape Town, for firing it up. Again.
📺 Live: SuperSport Rugby and Grandstand, 2pm.
