The Stormers, already locked in for a home quarter-final, are matching Cardiff's desperation stride for stride as they head into the Vodacom URC's climactic Friday night face-off at Arms Park. While Cardiff battles to clinch a playoff spot with a win, the Stormers aim to secure a top-2 finish, ensuring more home advantage as the finals approach.
Stormers' André-Hugo Venter made it clear that despite their secured position, the team's ambition burns fiercely. "If you go through after the quarter-finals, you want to play as many games [semi-final and final] at home as possible," Venter stated, emphasizing the importance of finishing strong in the regular season. "Our desperation will be right up there with them," he added, dismissing any notion of complacency.
"I don’t think they’ll be more desperate than us."
Following a frustrating 38-38 draw against Ulster last week, the mood in the Stormers' camp was somber, almost as if they had lost, Venter revealed. This has only fueled their determination to not let their guard down as the regular season wraps up.
One of the Stormers' standout features this season has been their dominant scrum, which has drawn an impressive 56 scrum penalties, the most by any team in the competition. However, there's apprehension about how effective this advantage will be on Arms Park's 4G artificial surface, which doesn't allow for the normal grip provided by natural turf.
Venter expressed his dissatisfaction with 4G pitches, though he quickly noted that it should not be an excuse for underperformance. "I don’t enjoy the 4G pitches at all," he confessed. With the unique playing surface in mind, Venter emphasized the need for careful management of the team's physical exertion this week.
As the final round of the URC looms, both the Stormers and Cardiff find themselves at a critical juncture, each driven by their distinct yet converging desperations. The upcoming match promises to be a fierce showdown, with both teams having everything to play for.
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The Stormers, already locked in for a home quarter-final, are matching Cardiff's desperation stride for stride as they head into the Vodacom URC's climactic Friday night face-off at Arms Park. While Cardiff battles to clinch a playoff spot with a win, the Stormers aim to secure a top-2 finish, ensuring more home advantage as the finals approach.
Stormers' André-Hugo Venter made it clear that despite their secured position, the team's ambition burns fiercely. "If you go through after the quarter-finals, you want to play as many games [semi-final and final] at home as possible," Venter stated, emphasizing the importance of finishing strong in the regular season. "Our desperation will be right up there with them," he added, dismissing any notion of complacency.
"I don’t think they’ll be more desperate than us."
Following a frustrating 38-38 draw against Ulster last week, the mood in the Stormers' camp was somber, almost as if they had lost, Venter revealed. This has only fueled their determination to not let their guard down as the regular season wraps up.
One of the Stormers' standout features this season has been their dominant scrum, which has drawn an impressive 56 scrum penalties, the most by any team in the competition. However, there's apprehension about how effective this advantage will be on Arms Park's 4G artificial surface, which doesn't allow for the normal grip provided by natural turf.
Venter expressed his dissatisfaction with 4G pitches, though he quickly noted that it should not be an excuse for underperformance. "I don’t enjoy the 4G pitches at all," he confessed. With the unique playing surface in mind, Venter emphasized the need for careful management of the team's physical exertion this week.
As the final round of the URC looms, both the Stormers and Cardiff find themselves at a critical juncture, each driven by their distinct yet converging desperations. The upcoming match promises to be a fierce showdown, with both teams having everything to play for.