Some Stormers fans say there is a resident ghost in the old slave quarters adjacent to Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

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They reckon, when Western Province start blowing away their opponents, a bell begins to toll and the south-easter (called the Cape Doctor) cries: 'Don't whip me, Master!'

True story!

And millions of Cape Town residents witnessed it this weekend as the Highlanders joined in the chorus on their way to a 33-0 trashing: 'Don't whip me, Master !'

Well and truly whipped, the Highlanders learned you should never pat a dog that's hungry.

The rebounding Stormers were on fire, fueled by the indignity of being typecast as 'faders' and 'flatlining flatterers' after their narrow defeat by the highly-rated Brumbies last weekend.

When Bryan Habana scored the bonus-point try in the final movement of the game, I swear I heard the crowd let out a sigh of "we never doubted that for a minute' relief.

The Stormers have now rocketed up the Super 14 table to third spot and have done so in four games, featuring two non-local referees.

Stuart Dickinson (Aus) and Keith Brown (NZ) have given the Cape-based side a handy glimpse at the way things work in Australia and New Zealand and many fans predict this will aid the Stormers cause after their handy bye breather strategically both in the middle of the competition (week 7) and as they embark on their road trip leg of the Super 14.

Stormers fans are all buzzing with anticipation – will 2010 finally be their year?

With the cat amongst the pigeons after the Hurricanes' defeat by the Cheetahs this weekend, many frantic Western Province fans believe they've got the momentum to at least secure a quarter-final slot.

The bumbling Hurricanes will need to rebound next Saturday just as the Stormers look set to put their foot on the gas. It's a daunting task and it looks like they'll miss Tamati Ellison and Conrad Smith (both injured) while Ma'a Nonu could cop a citing ban for dirty play on Cheetahs captain Juan Smith.

In an odd bye induced one-two, the Stormers then face the Cheetahs the following week (week 6) also at Newlands and Cape fans won't be too sympathetic about the five-week sidelining Heinrich Brussow has picked up against the Hurricanes thanks to ligament injury.

There's a faint glimmer on the horizon, and the Stormers might spring the biggest surprise of this season.