There will be a top match between the Stormers and Glasgow in the URC. In case of victory, the Cape players could take the lead three days before the end and make up for their surprising home defeat last week against Connacht (33-24). However, in South Africa, the most intense debate concerns Damian Willemse, whom his coach John Dobson has been playing on the wing for three games.
The two-time world champion has played in all positions in the backline during his career. He played in the 2023 World Cup final at fullback, but has also been seen at fly-half and inside centre under both the national team and Stormers jerseys. Dobson gave him the number 14 due to injuries to Seabelo Senatla and Suleiman Hartzenberg, while Dylan Maart returned to the Griquas at the end of his loan.
Is playing on the wing a waste?
The experiment started against Edinburgh, with the coach believing Willemse would bring his expertise in aerial duels. He performed well, leading to him staying on the wing for the next two games. However, many observers, like Schaalk Burger, expressed surprise. The former World Cup-winning flanker in 2007 believes using Willemse on the wing is a “waste”: “We have quality players, but it is clear we have problems on the wing. We are short. But I really think we should play Damian Willemse at 15 or 12 because he needs to be as involved as possible in the game. He did decent things on the wing, but everyone wants their best and most skilled players to touch the ball as much as possible, and that comes through his positioning at fullback or centre.”
Burger’s comments came after the defeat to Connacht, which seemed to support his argument. In fact, Dobson admitted that Willemse could no longer continue to play in that position, and his assistant Dawie Snyman nodded in agreement, suggesting that Senatla and Harzenberg could return soon. There was a sense of nervousness among the Stormers, already eliminated by Toulon in the Champions Cup, where another superior talent, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, is not going through the best period of his life at fly-half.
