Stormers gearing up for more expansive Bulls in URC clash

The Stormers are preparing for a more expansive Bulls team when the two sides battle it out in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night.

It is going to be a massive encounter between the two teams as they have struck up the biggest rivalry in South African rugby over the past few years.

It has been the Stormers, however, who have enjoyed the better of that rivalry, winning all their matches in the URC so far, and they will be eager to continue that record.

Evolved Bulls

Springbok loose forward Deon Fourie, who captained the Stormers in their Champions Cup win over La Rochelle last weekend, was asked if his side were bracing for a physical onslaught from the Bulls, but he felt they had evolved into a more attacking side.

“If you look at the Bulls these days, it’s not the Bulls of Bakkies (Botha) and Danie Rossouw and all those okes,” said 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 said they would take plenty of confidence from the match, but he admitted if they wanted to beat the Bulls again they would have to improve.

“We played reasonably averagely and still got a win against La Rochelle, so that gives us massive confidence going into the Bulls game,” said 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 also kept the Stormers’ hopes of progressing to the Champions Cup knockout rounds alive, after they lost their competition opener 35-26 against Leicester Tigers in England a week earlier.

However, they still need to win at least one of their next two matches, against either Sale Sharks at home or away against Stade Francais in Paris in January, if they are to make it into the next round.

“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,” said Dobson.

“Winning at home is important, and we did that (against La Rochelle). I said it was a knockout fixture beforehand and it was in the sense that we would have been left too much to do had we lost.

“The win makes it easier for us – we are definitely still alive – but the way I see it, we are going to have to beat Sale and then get at least a bonus point in the following game away against 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.”