The Vodacom Bulls got the playoff they wanted and will back themselves to beat the DHL Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday, says Nick Mallett.
In a rematch of last season’s grand final, the Vodacom Bulls will travel down to Cape Town to take on the Stormers in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finals.
Since suffering a narrow defeat in the title decider, Jake White’s team have been beaten home and away in the north-south derby this season and will go into this weekend’s clash on the back of five successive losses against their rivals.
However, writing in his column for Sport24, Mallett said that history will count for little on Saturday as the Vodacom Bulls will know that they can beat the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium.
“There’s been spice to this rivalry because the men from Loftus probably feel the attention on their five-match losing streak to the old enemy might be a bit over-emphasised,” wrote Mallett.
“All those matches have been characterised by tight scorelines, meaning a bounce of the ball or a different refereeing decision here or there might’ve seen them come out on top.
“Jake and the players will know from those scorelines that they aren’t miles off matching the Stormers.
“If they get it right, it will be much easier for them to beat Dobbo’s charges than against a Glasgow or a Leinster or an Ulster.”
The @BlueBullsRugby have never beaten the Stormers in the @Vodacom #URC, and it's going to stay that way when they collide in the quarter-final at DHL Stadium, according to @mark_keohane and Zels. pic.twitter.com/D0L9lXKKF5
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) May 5, 2023
Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix