Soaring Stormers creating 'new home' away from Newlands: 'We'll defend it with our lives'

There were 13 156 spectators at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night as the Stormers beat Leinster 20-13, but it felt like a lot more than that. 

This was easily the Stormers' best home turnout this United Rugby Championship season, and those who made the trip into Green Point were vocal, passionate and fully behind the men in blue. 

It was the Stormers' eighth win in a row at home - one of those did come in Stellenbosch - and they have not lost a home game since going down to the Lions back in December.

Now, with one round of fixtures remaining, the Stormers are lying fourth on the URC log, tied on point with Munster (2nd) and the Sharks (3rd), and if they beat Scarlets in Llanelli in their final group stage match on 21 May, then they stand a good chance of securing second place on the log and further home ground advantage for the upcoming quarter-finals and potentially the semi-finals, too. 

A union that has moved on from one of the most iconic rugby venues in South African history in Newlands, the Stormers are now finding their feet on their new stomping ground. 

As skipper Steven Kitshoff said after the match on Saturday night, the world-class facilities at the Cape Town Stadium make it an attractive place to play, and when the fans turn out as they did this weekend, even more so. 

"It was absolutely brilliant and the atmosphere in the stadium was electric," said Kitshoff.

"I'm just so chuffed to have the faithful back, and hopefully there is a quarter-final here so they can come out in their masses again.

"You do miss Newlands and the smell of the brewery and the hot dog stands when you drive in, but we are creating a new home here and we have decided we are going to defend this place with our lives. As the years go on, I