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Classic clash on the cards as Stormers face Bulls in URC derby
The home side will take plenty of confidence from their superb Champions Cup win over La Rochelle last week.
Stormers flyhalf Manie Libbok could play a pivotal role in his side’s URC match against the Bulls at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
A classic clash is on the cards when the Stormers and Bulls battle it out in a massive North-South United Rugby Championship (URC) derby at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night (kick-off 7pm).
The fierce rivals will be going all out to assert their dominance and clinch what would be a big win in both of their campaigns.
Having endured a tough start to the season, winning three and losing four games to sit 10th on the URC log, the Stormers desperately need a win over the Bulls to start clawing their way back up the table.
The home side will take plenty of confidence from their superb Champions Cup win over La Rochelle over last week, but one of their biggest problems, which was again evident against the French giants, was their struggle to convert their 22-metre entries into points.
“We talked after the game against La Rochelle. It was a poor conversion rate against them. So in a game like this, it’s a derby which will be hard fought. It’s going to be a close game and we’re not going to go away,” said Stormers coach John Dobson.
“The opportunities in these type of games are fewer and further between than other regular URC games. So one of our work-ons this week is to be more clinical and we have to be better in that aspect.”
High flying Bulls
For the high flying Bulls, they have not yet beaten the Stormers in the URC, losing six straight games against them, so they will want to break that duck.
They will also be eager to strengthen their place near the summit of the URC log, where they currently find themselves in third place.
“The Stormers have definitely been the best team in South Africa (over the past few years). They have been Shield champions twice, and they’ve gotten to two finals and won one,” said Bulls director of rugby Jake White.
“So it’s going to be a massive task for us and a massive opportunity for us to see how we have grown over the past couple of seasons.”
This is the last game of the year for the Bulls, who will have a couple of weeks off before getting back into Champions Cup action in mid-January, so they will be keen to finish their year on a high.
