Coach John Dobson says the Stormers will look to grind down Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.
Dobson’s side arrive in Northern Ireland fresh off a commanding win over the Glasgow Warriors in Cape Town that took them back to the top of the Vodacom URC log.
However, both Dobson and captain Deon Fourie warned that eighth-placed Ulster remain a major threat.
They have also not forgotten last season’s painful collapse at Ravenhill, when the Stormers stormed into an early 17-0 lead before losing 38-34.
“We had a great start,” Fourie recalled. “We looked at that game again and saw what we did well and also what we did wrong.
“But we have definitely evolved a lot as a team from last season to now.”
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Dobson believes the lessons from that defeat have helped shape a more mature Stormers side.
“What’s worked for us in the northern hemisphere is that grind,” he said. “We can stay in the opposition’s faces, stay in touch, and eventually our sort of poison of what we’re doing at set-piece and in other areas of the games hopefully starts to take its toll on the opposition.”
Fourie says the Stormers must now think like title contenders during the decisive closing weeks of the season.
“To be a championship team, you can’t have one good week and then go off-plan the next week. We need to build on what we did against Glasgow.”
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Ulster, boosted by qualification for the EPCR Challenge Cup final, still have plenty to play for in the playoff race and will again lean heavily on former Stormers powerhouse Juarno Augustus.
Dobson admitted stopping Augustus would be key.
“We can’t let Trokkie get momentum,” he said. “He’s a massive player for them. His carries close to the line and his role in the pick-and-go game are huge threats for us.”
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Despite concerns around the physical toll of playing on artificial surfaces, Dobson said the Stormers are clear about the tactical blueprint required.
“I don’t think I’ve seen the team this aligned as to how we want to play this week,” he said.
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Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
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Coach John Dobson says the Stormers will look to grind down Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.
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