14 October 2026
DHL Stormers captain Ruhan Nel has urged his side to maintain rigid defensive discipline ahead of their crucial Investec Champions Cup clash on Saturday at 16:15 SAST in Cape Town, against a dangerous Bristol Bears outfit.
The Stormers captain emphasised the need for containment against a Bristol backline boasting explosive attacking threats. Nel singled out the threat of key athletes, including Wales international Louis Rees-Zammit, warning his team against over-committing or chasing individual plays out of system.
“They’ve got a real attacking mentality. They stretch the passes, they’ll force an offload here and there,” Nel explained. “It’s a lot more one-on-ones that they’re trying to create, featuring their good athletes. If they can get those guys into space, you’re really out for a long day.”
The skipper cautioned his squad against forcing the offload on attack, stressing that structural patience will be the decisive factor in defusing Bristol's high-tempo threat. The Stormers will look to starve the visitors of clean ball and dictate the breakdown to nullify the Bears' transition game.
“It’s about staying patient within the system and letting the system bail you out instead of making individual massive plays,” Nel concluded.