Stormers ‘in a corner’ ahead of Scarlets game, says Deon Fourie

It is imperative for the Stormers to get a win in their United Rugby Championship (URC) match against Scarlets in Llanelli on Saturday afternoon if they are to boost their chances of reaching the competition playoffs.

The Stormers are currently 12^th on the log, but still well in the hunt as they are just one point behind the eighth placed Lions, but know a defeat would see them drop further away and put huge pressure on them ahead of their second tour match against Ulster in Ireland next weekend.

Stormers loose forward Deon Fourie admitted that the team was feeling slightly cornered and that all of their focus was on getting a positive result against their Welsh rivals.

“We’ve spoken about the game against Scarlets and we’re targeting that. If we can just get that first win on the road it’ll take the monkey off our back against Ulster,” explained Fourie earlier in the week.

“All the emphasis is on the first game on the tour. We’d like to build on that win (against the Bulls at Loftus). We just need to at least win that first game, which means not as much pressure for the game against Ulster and our (four) home games (to finish the season).

“We’re pushed into a bit of a corner now on the log, but the log is also so cluttered that one win can put us into the top eight. So Saturday’s game is the most important one.”

Never lost to Scarlets

The Stormer have never lost to Scarlets in the URC, thrashing them twice at home over the past two seasons, while they were pushed to their limits in their first meeting against them in their debut season, when it took a try after the fulltime hooter for them to sneak a 26-21 win in Llanelli.

Fourie vividly remembers that match, and admits it does give them a slight edge that they have won at the ground before, but admitted that it was a very different challenge this time round and they had to be prepared for that.

“We had to win with a bonus point to win the (SA) Shield, and Ruhan scored at the end,” recalled Fourie about the match.

“I think it helps (having won in Llanelli before), but there are a lot of new faces, who weren’t there in the first season. But it helps to know the conditions and where we are going.”

A win for the Stormers will give them good momentum to take into their second tour clash against Ulster next weekend, following which they will return home to end off the competitions pool phase with games against Connacht, Benetton, Dragons and Cardiff.