Stormers Have Tough Start to S14

Even though the Stormers are playing four of their five opening games at home, you can be sure it'll by no means be an easy start.

The Cape side open their campaign against last year's semi-finalists the Sharks at Newlands on Valentine's Day and will be looking to get one over the men from Durban to get their season off to a positive start. They then play perennial wooden-spooners the Reds before a tough encounter with the Blues.

Cape fans can be sure of at least one win from the opening three matches which wasn't the case the last year when the Stormers bit the dust their first three games. Coach Rassie Erasmus has built an impressive squad and a lot of work has gone into the Super 14 campaign at the expense of the Currie Cup. Erasmus has brought in Duanne Vermuelen, Hilton Lobberts and our most experienced Springbok Percy Montgomery, so on paper the Stormers look a formidable side. But we all know that rugby isn't played on paper! .

The team is laden with Springboks and they should be a lot more competitive in 2009 to build on their success of this year when they just missed out on a semi-final berth.

The Stormers play the Bulls in Pretoria and the Lions back at Newlands before heading overseas where they'll take on the Crusaders, Waratahs, Brumbies, Hurricanes and Highlanders.

They come back to South Africa to play two home games against the Chiefs and Western Force before ending their campaign against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.