The Stormers beat the Sharks 39-22 in a United Rugby Championship (URC) coastal derby at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday. Wing Seabelo Senatla celebrated the opening try with a backflip.
The Stormers scored six tries to earn a bonus-point win. They played in their black jersey, a throwback to the famous 1999 team known as the Men in Black.
“I’m just happy because he had both knees strapped and still went for a backflip. (It’s) probably not the best decision-making to fly off like that! But, yeah, a really cool moment,” Stormers captain Ruhan Nel said.
Nel joked about the celebration after the match. He said he did not think Senatla had planned it.
“I don’t even think he plans his outfits, you know. So that was probably a spur-of-the-moment thing. But knowing Seabelo, he probably thought, ‘If I score today, let me do something like that’,” Nel said.
The backflip reminded fans of former Stormers and Springbok wing Breyton Paulse. Paulse was known for celebrating his tries in the same way.
Paulse was working as a commentator next to the field during the match. According to IOL, he enjoyed Senatla’s celebration.
The Stormers put the Sharks under pressure in the scrums. Their rolling maul was hard to stop, and three of their tries came from driving mauls.
The backs also finished off several good attacking moves. The defence held firm against the Sharks for long periods of the game.
Almost 50 former players who wore the black jersey watched the match from the stands. The jersey has long been linked to a brave, attacking style of Stormers rugby.
Nel said the team’s identity was shaped by many generations of great players. He said the original Men in Black era stood for the bold rugby that supporters still love.
“If you can take that style and blend it with the modern game, with your set pieces like the mauls and scrums, and your strong defensive systems, you’re actually sitting with something really beautiful,” Nel said.
Club legend Corné Krige, who captained the 1999 side, handed out the jerseys to the players before the match. Nel said this made the day even more special for the squad.
He said Krige is a hero to many of the players who wore the jersey against the Sharks. Having him hand it to them meant a lot, Nel said.
“To do them justice, and to do the occasion and the jersey justice, is quite special for the team,” Nel said.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Sport. Image: IOL Sport. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.