On a hot streak against their rivals, the DHL Stormers will have to focus more on their mental preparation for the upcoming quarter-final against the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday, according to Nick Mallett.
The Stormers go into the Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-final having beaten the Vodacom Bulls home and away this season, to take their winning streak in the north-south derby to five overall.
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Added to the positive record, DHL Western Province’s win against a URC-bolstered Bulls team last Saturday also saw the Currie Cup side go back-to-back in the derby.
Speaking in his capacity as a pundit on SuperSport’s Final Whistle, former Bok coach Mallett emphasised that the Stormers cannot allow themselves to get complacent in the week building up to the quarter-final.
“The most difficult aspect for the coaching staff is going to be mental [preparation] going into this game,” said Mallett. “This season, the Currie Cup side has won twice – home and away – and they [the Stormers] have beaten the Bulls twice as well.
“This is the fifth time they are playing the Bulls this season. I don’t think you can ever be confident going in, that you are going to win the game. There might be a sense of, ‘we’ve got their number’ and the moment you have that you are going to lose the game.
“There is desperation from the Bulls, their season will be made if they win. For the Stormers, it will be a real shock if they don’t win. So, mentally, it will be very, very tough for the Stormers this week.”
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