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It all comes down to this for the Stormers and the Bulls as they duke it out in the United Rugby Championship final.
Stormers vs Bulls LIVE scores
Stormers Head Coach John Dobson said that he could not be happier for Deon Fourie as the flanker is set to play his 100th match for the franchise in the final.
“Deon embodies a lot of what we pride ourselves in as a team. Playing for the DHL Stormers means a lot to Deon and it means a lot to the rest of us that he reaches this milestone on such a big occasion. He deserves all the accolades coming his way,” he said.
Dobson added that he is glad to be able to bring the likes of Petersen and Pokomela in, with both players contributing to the DHL Stormers in getting to this point.
“Sergeal and Junior have shown their worth for us this season and both add something different to our squad, so we are looking forward to seeing what they can do on Saturday,” he said.
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Dobson’s team have won their last 10 consecutive games and will be looking to cap that winning streak off with a trophy in front of the Faithful, but the DHL Stormers coach knows there is a massive task ahead to achieve that.
“We are up against our old rivals in a home final, so you can be sure we will be ready to give it everything we have and hopefully make our supporters proud,” he said.
“It’s been an incredible season in our first one participating in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. We have measured ourselves against some of the best sides and players in the world,” said Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, Jake White, ahead of the game.
“So, to be able to play in the final is an incredible feat. I am very proud of the Bulls players, coaches and staff for the hard work and role they played in getting this far.
“We are up against a deserving and strong DHL Stormers side that has shown throughout the season how competitive and hungry for success they are. We expect another tough challenge against a team we have not managed to beat this season.”
A look at history from previous encounters between the two sides in this season’s campaign, the Stormers would be firm favourites considering that they had beaten the Bulls on both occasions the two sides squared up against each other.
A final is a different occasion and there is a lot more at stake. An epic battle is expected with both sides set to bring out their best in the most important fixture of the season.
Bulls’ influential captain, Marcell Coetzee, had this to say: “It’s not so much about revenge (for the two earlier defeats), but a final will be personal on both fronts and it’s always 50/50 on the day. We will approach the final with the humility and respect it deserves.
“Our job is not done yet, there’s still a lot for us to fix. Our plan worked to perfection but then we let Leinster back in the game at the end. But the Stormers were able to keep their composure towards the end of a tight contest.”
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