The DHL Stormers have welcomed the problem of going through a extremely motivated Lions facet within the Vodacom URC’s ultimate spherical, even with out Damian Willemse’s companies.
Already by means of to the Vodacom URC playoffs, the DHL Stormers will host the Lions within the ultimate spherical of motion in Cape City on Saturday afternoon.
The ninth-placed Lions can be determined for any optimistic outcome on Saturday because the guests look to safe a spot within the URC’s high eight for the primary time of their historical past.
Talking forward of the North-South conflict, backline coach Dawie Snyman says the Stormers are welcoming the problem of a giant South African derby earlier than the URC playoffs subsequent weekend.
“We’re not wanting previous the Lions. They’re a high quality facet and can be coming all the way down to Cape City to get one thing out of the sport. We predict fairly a troublesome recreation.
“The Lions will come down on a mission. There’s a lot at stake for them. Additionally, they don’t know what they want. So their first purpose can be to beat us.
“Saying that, we’re specializing in ourselves. We all know what the Lions will deliver. We’ve already analysed them, we all know their strengths and the place there could be one or two alternatives for us.
“Our motivation can be to place up a great Stormers efficiency. It’s truly good that the Lions are coming down with numerous motivation, as a result of they may check us and we’d like that form of check.”
Though the Stormers have welcomed scrumhalf Paul de Moist and wing Ben Loader again to full coaching this week, after each missed the two-match tour, they are going to be with out Damian Willemse.
The influential Springbok utility again needed to go beneath the knife on a finger ligament damage which has introduced his season to a untimely finish.
Snyman stated the Stormers will look to both Wandisile Simelane or Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who can be recovering from a finger damage, to take Willemse’s place in midfield, whereas Manie Libbok and Warrick Gelant will tackle a higher management function.
“Dropping Damian is an enormous blow. He brings numerous management within the group and everyone knows he’s an important participant,” Snyman stated.
“We have now acquired different choices. We’ve acquired Wandi and Sacha who can go to centre. These guys should step up. We’re additionally counting on Manie and Warrick to fill that void that Damian will depart, they may step up and take the management, which they’ve been doing.
“It’s by no means good to lose a giant participant like that, nevertheless it is a chance for the kids.”
Whereas their place within the final eight is already safe, the Stormers is not going to be throwing a “B-team” into motion in opposition to the Lions, as they’ve emphasised continuity forward of the playoffs.
“With our choice, we are going to attempt to construct a little bit of depth in a single or two areas, however we additionally wish to keep on with sure combos that we all know can be vital,” Snyman defined.
“The blokes didn’t play final weekend, so we don’t need their final recreation – after this one – to be three weeks in the past earlier than a quarter-final. Cohesion is vital for us at this stage and we wish to preserve constructing on that.
“We decided as a staff a number of weeks in the past that we have to go into playoff mode,” Snyman added. “We went on tour understanding we needed to win each video games after the loss to the Ospreys.
“It’s the identical factor for Saturday. We have now to win. It’s vital for us. Whether or not it’s by one level or two, it doesn’t matter. As staff, we by no means converse in regards to the dangerous information, we all the time have a look at what we are able to do it win video games. That focus will keep the identical this week.”
Photograph: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Photographs
