Lions Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg says he is eager to test himself against fellow Springbok Cobus Reinach in the United Rugby Championship match between his Lions team and Reinach's DHL Stormers team this Saturday at 15:30 (SA Time).
Despite the personal matchup, Van den Berg emphasised that the “team definitely comes first.”
“This is a massive match for the Lions. I know I will be facing Cobus, but all I’m thinking about is how I can help the team win. I’m not thinking about the Boks, my focus is fully on this weekend’s match.”
He spoke highly of Reinach, stating, “I have a lot of respect for Cobus. He's been amazing over the past two years.”
Learning from his teammate: Van den Berg shared that he has learned from observing Reinach's game preparation and in-game decisions, noting that “Those small things get you big results.”
“It’s a lot of little things, how he prepares in the week, how he sees the game, when to do something, when not to do something. Those small things get you big results.”
He added, “This weekend I'm going there to compete and to give it my all against him.”
“The team definitely comes first. But if you want to test yourself, you want to play against the best. That’s what excites me.”
Both players are Springbok teammates, making this a significant local derby. Reinach and his fly-half partner Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu have been central to the Stormers' strong start to the season, while the Lions are looking to recover from recent defeats in the Investec Champions Cup.
“Yes, Sacha is unbelievable, but at the end of the day, there are 15 men on the field. We will have a plan or two to counter Sacha, but this week is not just about how to stop Sacha.”
“We know they are strong, but we’re going there to force our game plan on them. We’re not going there to adapt to how they play.”
