With the sweet taste of victory still lingering from their recent conquest at Loftus, the Stormers are already gearing up for their next battle, cautioning that the Dragons will not be pushovers in the upcoming clash in Cape Town.
Damian Willemse, the Stormers' pivotal player, emphasized the importance of moving forward, stating,
"The Bulls result was massive and very important for us to get the win to put ourselves in a good position again."
He quickly shifted gears to the upcoming challenge: "But we don’t want to hang on too much to that game. There are six [league stage] matches left in the URC, so we’re getting to the business end and looking forward to a big one against the Dragons [on Sunday]. They are No 1 in defence this URC season, so they are a quality outfit."
Despite their current 14th place on the 16-team log with a mere 20 points and only two wins out of 12 matches, the Dragons from Newport, Wales, have shown they're not to be underestimated. A deeper dive into their performance reveals three draws, and four of their seven losses were by a margin of seven points or less. They also boast an 84% tackle success rate with 2,009 tackles made and only 235 missed, highlighting their defensive tenacity.
Stormers' defence coach Norman Laker reinforced the new focus of the team,
"What happened [against the Bulls] on Saturday is the past. We’ve done the review and now it’s all on the Dragons who are a quality outfit."
Laker also pointed out the strategic enhancements in the Dragons' squad, including the addition of Filo Tiatia as the new coach and Tonga international Fine Inisi, known for his prowess as a ball-carrier. Furthermore, the experienced flyhalf Tinus de Beer, known for his stints with the Bulls, Pumas, Griquas, and Cardiff, is expected to bring game control prowess to the Dragons.
The Stormers, meanwhile, are not without their own concerns, having conceded three tries at Loftus, including a penalty try. "All our focus is on the Dragons and obviously we still need to improve defensively, there are still a few things we can fix," Laker added, underlining the ongoing efforts to tighten their defensive strategies.
This Sunday’s match promises not just a test of strength but of strategy, as both teams look to climb higher in the fiercely competitive URC standings.
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With the sweet taste of victory still lingering from their recent conquest at Loftus, the Stormers are already gearing up for their next battle, cautioning that the Dragons will not be pushovers in the upcoming clash in Cape Town.
Damian Willemse, the Stormers' pivotal player, emphasized the importance of moving forward, stating,
"The Bulls result was massive and very important for us to get the win to put ourselves in a good position again."
He quickly shifted gears to the upcoming challenge: "But we don’t want to hang on too much to that game. There are six [league stage] matches left in the URC, so we’re getting to the business end and looking forward to a big one against the Dragons [on Sunday]. They are No 1 in defence this URC season, so they are a quality outfit."Despite their current 14th place on the 16-team log with a mere 20 points and only two wins out of 12 matches, the Dragons from Newport, Wales, have shown they're not to be underestimated. A deeper dive into their performance reveals three draws, and four of their seven losses were by a margin of seven points or less. They also boast an 84% tackle success rate with 2,009 tackles made and only 235 missed, highlighting their defensive tenacity.
Stormers' defence coach Norman Laker reinforced the new focus of the team,
"What happened [against the Bulls] on Saturday is the past. We’ve done the review and now it’s all on the Dragons who are a quality outfit."
Laker also pointed out the strategic enhancements in the Dragons' squad, including the addition of Filo Tiatia as the new coach and Tonga international Fine Inisi, known for his prowess as a ball-carrier. Furthermore, the experienced flyhalf Tinus de Beer, known for his stints with the Bulls, Pumas, Griquas, and Cardiff, is expected to bring game control prowess to the Dragons.The Stormers, meanwhile, are not without their own concerns, having conceded three tries at Loftus, including a penalty try. "All our focus is on the Dragons and obviously we still need to improve defensively, there are still a few things we can fix," Laker added, underlining the ongoing efforts to tighten their defensive strategies.
This Sunday’s match promises not just a test of strength but of strategy, as both teams look to climb higher in the fiercely competitive URC standings.