Stormer ready for Bulls

The Stormers will try to defeat the best team in the Southern hemisphere when they tackle the Bulls at Orlando Stadium in Soweto and they are under no illusion that it is going to be easy.

With Victor Matfield and his men in their third final in four years and on the verge of joining the Blues with three overall titles, it is hard to argue with their standing as the leading domestic side in SANZAR.

The Cape Town side though has been at the very least the second best team this year, and bringing one of the most ironclad defensive systems ever seen in Super rugby gives them plenty of reasons to be confident.

The Bulls, coined as pressure creators with their ruthless game plan, will come up against a Stormers team – as said by Waratahs coach Chris Hickey and captain Phil Waugh – that has the ability to soak up opposition duress and cause panic in their opponent’s ranks thanks to their stifling defence.

Such panic makes boys out of men, and Stormers coach Allister Coetzee, said that while all knew what to expect from the Bulls, countering it was another matter.

“This is a very, very good Bulls team and the key is not to get rattled,” said Coetzee.

“That’s what happened to the Crusaders. We saw how good players like Colin Slade, Sean Maitland and Dan Carter knocked the ball on – all mistakes because of the pressure. You have got to deal with that pressure – the Bulls never allow you to just run without pressure.”

The Stormers have said that they are well drilled in regards to ignoring pressure and distractions, and said that Orlando’s Bulls supporters will not be able to take the Cape Town based side away from their game plan.

“In the (Stormers) team we have a saying that allows us to block out external factors and we will embrace the occasion,” said Coetzee.

“It is a Super 14 final and it is between two South African teams and whatever else comes with that – vuvuzelas and excitement – well, we will embrace it. Vuvuzelas can’t hurt you. Yes, it can make a noise, but it can’t tackle you.”

Again, Coetzee and the Stormers stressed that they knew what the Bulls were going to bring to the final, and made a point to state that all the man on man defence in the world counted for little if they could not defuse the Bulls likely aerial attack.

“They have good kickers in Fourie du Preez, Morne Steyn and Zane Kirchner,” said Coetzee.

“They launch high kicks and chase very well. You have to look at ways to play in their half because they have such good kickers.”

“The Bulls kick longer than any other team – the ball travels further on the Highveld, and it travels higher too. It’s quite intimidating if you stand and wait for the up-and-under to come down.

“If you cannot handle the Bulls’ aerial attack then it will be very difficult for you.

“Most Super 14 teams could not handle it – not even the All Blacks last year when Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn played for the Boks against them.”

Stormers:

15 Joe Pietersen,14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Juan De Jongh, 11 Bryan Habana,10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (c), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw.

Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 JC Kritzinger, 18 Anton van Zyl, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Willem De Waal, 22 Tim Whitehead.