When the subject of the DHL Stormers’ most valuable player in their hitherto successful Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign is discussed, there’d be a couple of names that would probably come up.
Hacjivah Dayimani may not be quite as prominent on the list as Warrick Gelant, Evan Roos, Manie Libbok, skipper Steven Kitshoff or the now injured Damian Willemse, but perhaps he should be.
The high praise the Stormers get for their offload game and their counter-attacking ability would perhaps not be quite as voluble were it not for the way the speedy Dayimani makes himself an omnipresence that is somehow always there to carry on attacking momentum and make that half break or offload that hurts the opposition.
ONE INJURY AWAY FROM PLAYING CENTRE
The dynamic attacking of the Stormers does owe a lot to both Dayimani’s ability to get around the park, as well as to his silky ball skills. He could quite easily be a back rather than a loose-forward, and he knows he was pretty close to becoming that during last week’s URC quarterfinal against Edinburgh. When centre Rikus Pretorius was helped from the field after just two minutes, Dayimani knew he was just one injury away from being moved into the midfield or onto the wing.
With coach John Dobson persisting with the less conventional six/two split between forwards and backs popularised by the then Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, had there been another backline injury after 20-year-old rookie Sacha Mngomezulu came onto the field, there’d have been little choice but for Dayimani to switch.
“When Rikus went down I did the quick maths and realised that obviously Sacha was on the bench and when Sacha came on and then started limping within a few minutes of coming onto the field I knew there was a possibility,” says the 24-year-old who was born in Cape Town but schooled at Jeppe High in Johannesburg.
“I was saying to myself okay if Sacha goes off now we are left with one backline reserve, and we wouldn’t want to put him on this early as you need to save him for later. So I knew I could end up playing centre and was ready to do that as I have played No 12 for Lions against the Sharks and I have played wing against the Crusaders. I played Currie Cup against Griquas at 12 and I have played 13 in couple of games in the backline.
“Also when I am in the backline in broken play I am often in those positions. So it is not a lot that would have to change. The only things that would change would obviously be that I wouldn’t be positioning myself in the lineouts and set pieces. I am comfortable playing there. We have a lot of backs but if Dobbo looks to me to play at the back in an emergency I am definitely not going to shy away from it.”
THRIVING ON STORMERS PLAYING STYLE
After injuries blunted the momentum he had picked up early in his career with the Emirates Lions, Dayimani says he is really enjoying the restart to his career in the Cape. And unsurprisingly, like other players who have come into the Stormers set-up such as Libbok and Gelant, he is stoked to be given the freedom to play his attacking game.
“For me it has been a privilege to be part of this team,” he said.
“With all the injuries I had, it is great to be here and to be in from and playing well. I really feel like I am properly back into it now and getting momentum again. It has been amazing to be part of such a balanced back row with the different playing styles of Evan Roos and Deon Fourie, and to be part of a team with such an attacking mindset.
“For me personally a lot has changed for me moving back to Cape Town. That especially relates to the players I am playing with as there are several players I played with in the past who helped me then and I was close to. Guys like Warrick Gelant, Manie Libbok and Leolin Zas. There is a great vibe and they let me do my own thing and back me. I like playing with freedom and don’t like to be boxed in.”
FANS BRING ENERGY
Dayimani says he and his teammates are thriving on having the fans back and he says the atmosphere at last week’s quarterfinal against Edinburgh at DHL Stadium was energising to the team and he hopes the same will apply in Saturday’s semifinal against Ulster at the same venue.
“The energy last week was lovely, actually the crowd was pretty hectic. We always enjoy playing in front of such a big crowd. It was our time to entertain and play for the crowd and make everyone proud. For us it was a big occasion and Saturday will be too. We are not going to let the crowd and the importance of the game make us nervous, we are going to just try to lay on the best show for them that we can.”
Dayimani added that memories of where the Stormers were a year ago help drive the team’s motivation as they keep crossing the various frontiers that need to be crossed en route to a potential URC final.
“It is easy to motivate ourselves and also keep focused because ago this time we were getting very bad press and no-one was backing us. There was a lot that was happening that was leading to negative thought. We as a team had to stick together and create a bubble, shutting out the negativity from outside.
“In a similar way, we have to do it the same way in the reverse direction when we are doing well. There’s a lot of enthusiasm for our game and we know there are lots of people supporting us, praising us and who are behind us, but we mustn’t let that seep through and take our minds off the job either.”
“IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT US STOPPING THEM”
Saturday’s game definitely won’t be a gimme for the Stormers, who have not forgotten how tight it was when they played Ulster in Cape Town towards the end of March. They just scraped home 23-20. Dayimani remembers that Ulster had a quality back row playing for them, spearheaded by Duane Vermeulen, but says not too much focus has gone into that as yet.
“For us, to be honest with you, we haven’t focused on their players. What we remember from previous game was how tough it was so Saturday is going to be very exciting. It definitely won’t be easy. They (the Ulster looseforwards) come with size that maybe we don’t have so maybe they bring something I don’t bring, whereas I can bring something they don’t, so it should be a good battle.
“When it comes to us having to stop Duane, without wanting to sound funny, they have to stop us in the same way we have to stop them. I know Duane well. I played against him when he was at the Bulls. We back our skill set. I reckon my circus act and the circus acts that Evan and Deon also bring are enough for us to go up against any opponent.
“It is exciting though to play against a team like Ulster. The good thing about this competition is that you come up against a lot of players you don’t know. You don’t know them and they don’t know you. That creates extra hype and excitement.”
BOK AMBITIONS
Dayimani would love to experience the extra hype and excitement of playing international rugby once the URC is over. Like most South African players, he is driven by his ambition to be a Springbok.
“Yes, playing for the Boks is definitely an ambition always in the back of the mind, and I have had that dream since I was at school. I know that to get there I must just continue to work on my game, make my ball carrying effective. Eery week we are up against the best looseforwards, I judge my game against the No7 playing on the other side, I make it a personal battle there. But it is also a personal battle against myself and to prove people wrong.”