'They weren't given a chance; that's the best thing' - ex-Stormers captain Chris van Zyl

Former Stormers and Western Province captain Chris van Zyl says that being counted out before the competition began was the ideal position the Stormers wanted to quietly go about their business in the inaugural United Rugby Championship (URC).

The Stormers won the SA Shield last weekend after beating Scarlets in Llanelli thanks to a late Ruhan Nel try after the Sharks floundered against Ulster a day earlier.

It wasn't just that they lost Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and his World Cup-winning rockstars Bongi Mbonambi and Pieter-Steph du Toit.

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But, as John Dobson illustrated in his big interview with Sport24's Rob Houwing, they had to contend with uncertainty over salary payments, having no CEO or director of rugby since Paul Zacks and Gert Smal departed as their controlling union (Western Province) slumped into administration.

They were also comfortably outdone in the transfer market by their nearest rivals, the Sharks and Bulls - Dobson described them as "window shoppers" while the Sharks scooped former Stormer Eben Etzebeth.

Van Zyl, though, says the less-than-underdog tag attached to Dobson and company somewhat suited them.

They went about their business unnoticed until they started picking off some big scalps, like the Bulls at Lofts and the Sharks in Cape Town.

"There's been quite a lot going on regarding other unions and the number of power signings they've made and them being on a proper acquisition trail," Van Zyl tells Sport24.

"During the season, it seemed like the Stormers were just in the background, getting on with their business and giving the guys they had the best opportunity they could.

"I think that position fitted in so well with 'Dobbo' and