Stormers face uncharted waters

• Opponents Clermont Auvergne may not look threatening, but can be fierce at home

John Dobson’s Stormers will start their maiden Champions Cup campaign away against the nearly men of European rugby on Saturday. But they should draw no comfort from Clermont Auvergne not having won the competition, despite contesting three finals, or their hosts having an unflattering record of only two Top 14 titles next to 12 runners-up spots.

John Dobson’s Stormers will start their maiden Champions Cup campaign away against the nearly men of European rugby on Saturday.

But they should draw no comfort from Clermont Auvergne not having won the competition, despite contesting three finals, or their hosts having an unflattering record of only two Top 14 titles next to 12 runners-up spots.

The reality is that Clermont, as most teams who visit Stade Marcel-Michelin will tell you, tend to dig deep on home turf.

They may be perennial bridesmaids but in front of their fans, they are different beasts as evidenced in their staggering 77-match unbeaten run of home victories from 2009 to 2014.

However, their jaune/marine home has been transformed in the past decade to meet more white-collar pursuits, and on the field, they have gone off colour.

Going the distance may often prove beyond their compass, but they make for redoubtable opponents when they run out in front of their home fans.

“That is part of the culture,” said retired Springbok wing Breyton Paulse, who played for Clermont in the 2005/2006 season. “The French players take their home games seriously. You see so much passion. It is something to experience. In the stands, there are brass bands and they create a vibe. The crowd makes it very difficult for the visitors, but they know their rugby and they appreciate a good try, and will applaud it irrespective of who scores it.

“It makes for an incredible atmosphere. They can be hostile, but they understand the game. One thing is sure, they’ll make a noise for 80 minutes,” said Paulse, a veteran of 64 matches for the Stormers.

He made the point that “there isn’t a lot to do in that town and that is why the fans are so passionate”, but that doesn’t adequately explain the club’s strong bond with the soil on which they operate.

It owes its existence to neighbouring Stade Marcel-Michelin, named after the son of the founder of the tyre company.

The ground holds a shade under 20,000 spectators and was the first Top 14 venue to introduce heated turf.

The Stormers will be careful not to get scorched on it, but they will also know that their hosts have been on the skids for a while. Clermont sit 10th in the Top 14.

The Stormers, by contrast, have reason to be chest out. They are third on the United Rugby Championship (URC) points table with just one defeat from eight starts this season.

They come off a win over the Dragons in which they hugely impressed in the first half.

“They were well ahead and took their foot off the pedal,” said Paulse. “They made changes that disrupted them a little.

“The important thing however is they keep winning. Also, new players have been given the opportunity and it will improve the team’s depth. That is a helluva positive. If you compare that to the Sharks where Neil [Powell, the director of rugby] has a huge task on his hands, there is actually good vibes in the Stormers.”

The Stormers may have gone a little experimental last week but they will want to put their best foot forward this weekend. Clermont have some heavy hitters of their own. The team coached by retired All Black and Chiefs utility forward Jono Gibbes boasts Test experience in, among others, locks Tomas Lavanini and Sebastien Vahaamahina, prop Rabah Slimani, flyhalves Jules Plisson and Anthony Belleau, wing Bautista Delguy and pre-eminent wing Damian Penaud.

Clermont come off a solid 19-14 Top 14 home victory over Montpellier and they will be a tough nut to crack.

“This competition has that name for a reason. It will be helluva competitive,” said Paulse, adding that SA’s teams will go into the Champions Cup with a bit of an underdog tag.