Stormers coach John Dobson mentioned they might take loads of confidence from their victory over La Rochelle.
The Stormers are getting ready for a more expansive Bulls staff when the 2 sides battle it out in their United Rugby Championship (URC) conflict at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening.
It goes to be an enormous encounter between the 2 groups as they’ve struck up the most important rivalry in South African rugby over the previous few years.
It has been the Stormers, nonetheless, who’ve loved the higher of that rivalry, successful all their matches in the URC up to now, and they are going to be wanting to proceed that document.
Evolved Bulls
Springbok free ahead Deon Fourie, who captained the Stormers in their Champions Cup win over La Rochelle final weekend, was requested if his facet have been bracing for a bodily onslaught from the Bulls, however he felt they’d advanced right into a more attacking facet.
“If you look at the Bulls these days, it’s not the Bulls of Bakkies (Botha) and Danie Rossouw and all those okes,” mentioned Fourie.
“They are playing good rugby now. They are spreading the ball, especially with Willie (le Roux) there. I know him now and he will organise some good attack. So I don’t think it will be the same old physical battle.”
Following their thrilling last-gasp win over Champions Cup title holders La Rochelle, Stormers coach John Dobson mentioned they might take loads of confidence from the match, however he admitted in the event that they wished to beat the Bulls once more they must enhance.
“We played reasonably averagely and still got a win against La Rochelle, so that gives us massive confidence going into the Bulls game,” mentioned Dobson.
“La Rochelle are a really good team so it is massive for us in terms of confidence. But we must be much better.”
Knockout hopes
The win over La Rochelle additionally saved the Stormers’ hopes of progressing to the Champions Cup knockout rounds alive, after they misplaced their competitors opener 35-26 towards Leicester Tigers in England every week earlier.
However, they nonetheless must win at the very least certainly one of their subsequent two matches, towards both Sale Sharks at house or away towards Stade Francais in Paris in January, if they’re to make it into the subsequent spherical.
“There is a reason they call this the pool of death, and it is very tough. We play the Sale Sharks next in January, and that game is going to be as tough for us as this one. Sale are on a roll at the moment,” mentioned Dobson.
“Winning at house is necessary, and we did that (towards La Rochelle). I mentioned it was a knockout fixture beforehand and it was in the sense that we might have been left an excessive amount of to do had we misplaced.
“The win makes it simpler for us – we’re positively nonetheless alive – however the best way I see it, we’re going to must beat Sale after which get at the very least a bonus level in the next recreation away towards Stade Francais.
“It’s a pity we didn’t get the bonus point we looked likely to get towards the end of our game against Leicester. That would have made a big difference.”
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