Stormers reboot system for derby
There is no doubt that the Cape franchise were in 'sleep mode' for the full 80 minutes in their 17-all draw with the Sunwolves in Round 12, but after some reflection, the players are ready to rectify their mistakes.
"It has been an interesting week which consisted of a lot of reflection as to what went wrong and what we have to fix. The key to it all was looking at what we stand for [as a team] and what our purpose in this competition is.
"For me, something like this [a poor performance] needs to happen to serve as a reminder of why we are here and that game [against the Sunwolves] provided just that. The result allowed us to refocus. The players have once again bought into the system which had led to our energy and excitement being back.
"We are proud of who we play for and we are definitely going out [against the Bulls] to rectify things," Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck said.
The draw meant the Stormers relinquished their top Africa conference spot to the Lions which adds extra significance to an already highly anticipated North v South derby.
"There is a lot of history and tradition there and we all know the magnitude of the game. We don't have to spend much time on motivational and mental aspects. It is what it is and that is the Bulls against Stormers at Loftus.
"Loftus is a special place and we have always loved the challenge of going up there. It is a great ground and I think that its all about embracing the pressures of the game. We operate well in a pressure environment and that is our challenge now going forward.
"It will come down to who can handle the pressure, they [the Bulls] are under the same pressure – only difference being they are at home – hopefully our character and culture can come through strongly. It will be a real test of that and I certainly believe we have got that right and would bring us through," he added.
Frans Malherbe will be captaining the side for the first time this season and believes the winner of the encounter will be determined by which side dominates the gain line.
"We know it will be a very physical game and the gain line is going to be the deciding factor. Both teams will want to be in control of that aspect of the game.
"This is definitely one of my favourite games. We come across various challenges throughout this competition but this is the one game that I really look forward to playing in each year. So being able to captain the Stormers at Loftus is a massive honour and I am really excited about the challenge," Malherbe stated.
