The Stormers will be monitoring the weather radar as winter’s hold on the Mother City gradually becomes more intense ahead of their United Rugby Championship (URC) final matchup against Munster at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
Also read: Update: The DHL Stormers will defend their title in Vodacom URC Grand Final for the second time
Their Irish rivals, Munster, who are renowned for the notoriously damp, chilly and stormy climate of the Emerald Isle, are likely to welcome the prospect with greater enthusiasm.
While the Stormers have plenty of resources, including a sturdy pack that is able to adapt to potentially inclement conditions well after late-autumn sunset in the Cape, coach John Dobson’s defending champions are most renowned for their ability to attack with ball in hand from virtually all areas of the pitch.
Several reputable weather websites on Sunday indicated a series of sharp, approaching winter-type cold fronts for Cape Town in the period both before and on (or very shortly after) match day, despite the possibility that things could change for the better or worse in the coming days.
The actual game may just avoid rain, according to some current forecasts, but Wednesday night and Thursday are expected to see a lot of precipitation fall on the stadium surface, which is already worn out and prone to damage.
Even larger falls are predicted starting on Saturday and continuing through Tuesday, with the final being affected by the usual strong north-westerly winds even though it avoids downpours.
Authorities at DHL Stadium have already said that while they confidently anticipate the unsettling pitch to look presentable at the start of the sold-out showpiece, it will almost certainly become messier as the game progresses.
It needs to be laid again during the upcoming off-season.
Cape {town} Etc discount: Breakfast for two at Obz Cafe for R125. Get it here.
Also read:
Picture: Murray Swart