Vodacom Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee has warned his side to be wary of the "dangerous" DHL Stormers ahead of their United Rugby Championship (URC) North-South derby on Saturday at 14:00 (SA Time).
The Bulls will enter the clash as the form South African team after overcoming a seven-game losing streak earlier in the season under coach Johan Ackermann, while the Stormers have slipped to fifth on the log following three successive defeats in local derbies.
Despite the Bulls' recent four-match winning streak, Coetzee pointed out that the Stormers have a strong record at Loftus Versfeld, winning three of their last four encounters there.
He highlighted that the Stormers have "danger all over the park," specifically noting X-factor players who can punish inaccuracy and create momentum from nothing.
“If you look at history, they actually have a very good record here at Loftus,” Coetzee said on Tuesday. “There have been a couple of games where they’ve had our number, so we know it’s always a big challenge.
“It’s a massive clash, and the guys are very excited for it. The Stormers have got danger all over the park, a lot of X-factor players who can create momentum and punish you if you’re not accurate.”
Coetzee said that “getting momentum” was the main reason for turning their season around.
“The big thing for us was getting that momentum. One game can change everything, and then it starts building.”
“We took confidence from that Pau game, and since then we’ve just tried to be better every week.”
“Things are also coming together nicely off the field. The coaches place a big emphasis on values and standards, and those are driven by the leaders in the squad.
“Every player knows where he stands. There’s an open-door policy, and everyone has an important role to play – whether you’re starting, on the bench, or outside the matchday squad.”
