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Cape Town - The Stormers appeared to get "higher marks” than the Bulls from Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph when he was asked to compare the teams ahead of this coming weekend’s north-south Vodacom Super Rugby match at Loftus Versfeld.
WIN: Bulls vs Stormers tickets
“They are very different teams. The Bulls are quite content going from set-piece to set-piece. They are very direct and base their game around a very experienced forward pack,” said Joseph.
“The Stormers are quite happy to chance their arm and have a good balance to their game. They can run it at you, they can counter, they certainly have a good defence and they showed against us at the breakdown that they are very physical.”
The Highlanders lost their unbeaten status in this year’s tournament on Friday night when they were beaten 18-6 by the Stormers at Newlands. Their defeat followed the previous week’s shock 35-28 win over the Bulls at Loftus.
Joseph said that the Stormers had won the collisions against his side and also beat them at the breakdowns. Joseph's assessment will certainly give the Stormers confidence as they bid to beat the Bulls at Loftus for the first time since 2003.
Notwithstanding Joseph’s positive comments of their game, the Stormers have only scored one try in 240 minutes of rugby to date this season. Peter Grant kicked all the team's points in the victories over the Cheetahs and Highlanders.
However, Stormers coach Allister Coetzee was not concerned about the manner in which victory was achieved.
“Sometimes you’re up against a side that would rather concede a penalty or slow your ball, and then it’s difficult to get continuity. Then I’m happy for us just to take the penalties,” said Coetzee.
Coetzee is unlikely to have captain Schalk Burger back for the Loftus clash, while prop JC Kritzinger is believed to have suffered a major knee injury on Friday night.
Fortunately prop Brok Harris should be fit after a sore wrist kept him out of the Highlanders game.
Caretaker captain Jean de Villiers believes the team’s physicality against the Highlanders bodes well for the remainder of the season.
“You can’t coach that. The physical aspect is a decision that every individual takes,” he said.
Cape Town - The Stormers appeared to get "higher marks” than the Bulls from Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph when he was asked to compare the teams ahead of this coming weekend’s north-south Vodacom Super Rugby match at Loftus Versfeld.
WIN: Bulls vs Stormers tickets
“They are very different teams. The Bulls are quite content going from set-piece to set-piece. They are very direct and base their game around a very experienced forward pack,” said Joseph.
“The Stormers are quite happy to chance their arm and have a good balance to their game. They can run it at you, they can counter, they certainly have a good defence and they showed against us at the breakdown that they are very physical.”
The Highlanders lost their unbeaten status in this year’s tournament on Friday night when they were beaten 18-6 by the Stormers at Newlands. Their defeat followed the previous week’s shock 35-28 win over the Bulls at Loftus.
Joseph said that the Stormers had won the collisions against his side and also beat them at the breakdowns. Joseph's assessment will certainly give the Stormers confidence as they bid to beat the Bulls at Loftus for the first time since 2003.
Notwithstanding Joseph’s positive comments of their game, the Stormers have only scored one try in 240 minutes of rugby to date this season. Peter Grant kicked all the team's points in the victories over the Cheetahs and Highlanders.
However, Stormers coach Allister Coetzee was not concerned about the manner in which victory was achieved.
“Sometimes you’re up against a side that would rather concede a penalty or slow your ball, and then it’s difficult to get continuity. Then I’m happy for us just to take the penalties,” said Coetzee.
Coetzee is unlikely to have captain Schalk Burger back for the Loftus clash, while prop JC Kritzinger is believed to have suffered a major knee injury on Friday night.
Fortunately prop Brok Harris should be fit after a sore wrist kept him out of the Highlanders game.
Caretaker captain Jean de Villiers believes the team’s physicality against the Highlanders bodes well for the remainder of the season.
“You can’t coach that. The physical aspect is a decision that every individual takes,” he said.
