Stormers fullback Damian Willemse will start against in the Bulls in the URC. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix.
Stormers update: Willemse plays down knockout pressure
The Stormers will be playing the Bulls without an added pressure, according to key backline player Damian Willemse.
Stormers fullback Damian Willemse will start against in the Bulls in the URC. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix.
The Stormers will be playing the Bulls without an added pressure, according to key backline player Damian Willemse.
The versatile backline maestro will be key to getting the Stormers into the last four of the United Rugby Championship.
The Bulls, though, will be ready to win away from home like they did when they knocked Leinster out last season.
That set up a titanic final against the Stormers.
No added expectations
“As a team we know this is a big game but we are not putting extra pressure on ourselves,” said Willemse.
“We know where we are as a team and the goal we are working towards and where we stand at the moment in relation to that goal. We are working towards that goal. Our aim is to get better each week and to work on areas where we see ourselves falling down during the analysis process. There are a few things we’ve worked on this past month, where we’ve come a bit short, that we are rectifying.
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“Whatever the result is on Saturday, if we put up what we feel was a good performance and lose, then we know we have given it our best shot. If we go through to contest the semifinal, then happy days. Then we will work on the following week’s game with the aim of making the people in our province and our union proud.
“We know we are going into a quarterfinal but there is no extra pressure on us,” he added.
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Willemse: We are tougher now
“We are mentally tougher now, when you go through setbacks together and rectify the mistakes you make that definitely makes you stronger as a team. We are always looking at where we can improve our game and we did that after the two losses we had at the end of a tough month where we played a lot of tough games. We had some hard chats, we’ve stuck together and we feel we are growing as a unit.”
Saturday’s match at DHL Stadium kicks off at 15:30.
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