Stormers XXIII captain Ezekiel Ngobeni expects the Lions to exert pressure on himself and halfback partner Kyle Smith at Ellis Park on Friday.
Smith was outstanding in the Stormers’ 50-26 victory over the Vodacom Bulls XV at Loftus Versfeld last week, while Ngobeni seemed energised by the added responsibility of captaining the team. He believes they’ll be closely watched by the Lions.
“Kyle had an exceptional game last week and I think just the way he commands things and the way he drives the squad, he does a great job in that,” Ngobeni told the media on Thursday.
“No doubt, I think the Lions will definitely try and pick our number in that regard, but we’ll be focused on how we can steer the group together and not worry too much about them.”
DAWSON-SQUIBB: Stormers just want to rip in
The Stormers need a big performance against a Lions side also fighting for a place in the Currie Cup playoffs, setting up a high-pressure encounter.
Ngobeni knows his side cannot afford to underestimate their hosts.
“What makes them so dangerous is that they want to put themselves in a playoff spot and for us, it’s the same,” he said.
“We don’t want to take them lightly. We know they’re going to come firing from an attacking and defensive perspective, so for us it’s just to make sure that we cover all spots where we can. If they bring the pressure, we’ll have to find ways of steering the team in the right direction.”
ALSO: ‘Currie Cup final will be in Kimberley’
Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
The post Zeke: Lions will target Kyle and me appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Stormers XXIII captain Ezekiel Ngobeni expects the Lions to exert pressure on himself and halfback partner Kyle Smith at Ellis Park on Friday night.
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