Following the Sanlam Boland Cavaliers' dominant 41-3 victory over the DHL Stormers XXIII on Sunday, 26 July 2026, head coach Hawies Fourie expressed satisfaction with his team's defensive display but cautioned that their next opponents, the Airlink Pumas, will be highly dangerous.
Fourie admitted the team left points on the field in the first half, stating that a 13-3 scoreline at halftime was frustrating given they missed at least four scoring opportunities. However, he praised the vastly improved second-half performance which secured a comprehensive bonus-point win.
“In the first half we had at least four opportunities we should’ve finished, so 13-3 at half-time wasn’t satisfying,” Fourie said. “The effort in the second half was a lot better.”
The head coach highly commended defence coach Charl Strydom. Keeping a Stormers outfit try-less was a massive achievement. Fourie noted that while attacking play comes naturally to his squad, a rugged defensive identity is what ultimate success is built on.
“I’m proud of Charl; he works hard to create a defence culture," Fourie added. "It’s not something that comes naturally to most of our guys, they want to attack! But you can see it’s starting to bear fruit, and at the end of the day, defence wins you competitions.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming round-three clash in Wellington, Fourie warned his team against complacency. He noted that because the Pumas are winless after two rounds, they are now at their most lethal.
“Us and the Cheetahs have a bit of an advantage, but there are still five games left. It’s important we put this game behind us,” the 2023 Currie Cup-winning coach said. “I told the guys the Pumas are in a dangerous position. They have their backs to the wall and will be desperate.”
He stressed the importance of putting the historic regional derby win behind them immediately to preserve their early-season advantage near the top of the Carling Currie Cup standings.