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The Bulls have rarely won against the Stormers, but have a chance to do a season double on Saturday. Picture: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
Both teams featuring in the north-south derby on Saturday will be feeling immense pressure as history could be made at Loftus.
The Bulls have never beaten the Stormers twice in a United Rugby Championship (URC) season and they will be chasing this first feat since South African teams joined the European tournament in the 2021/22 season.
Even their local season doubles over the Stormers or Western Province have been rare, the last coming in the Currie Cup in 2022 (as the Western Province) and before that the Pro14 Rainbow Cup in 2021.
In nine matches between the sides in the URC, the Stormers have won seven.
However, the Bulls will be confident going into the clash after pipping their coastal opponents by one point (final score 33–32) after a nail-biting spectacle in Cape Town on 8 February.
The Bulls dominated the scrums in that game but made many errors in the second half to allow the Stormers back.
Both sides kicked horribly with Bulls centre David Kriel and Stormers flyhalf Jurie Mathee each missing three kicks. Stormers replacement Clayton Blommetjies had an opportunity to win the game in the dying minutes but he too pulled his shot wide.
Statistically, the Bulls have had a better season. They have scored 300 points compared to the Stormers’ 253 and conceded 230 to the Capetonians’ 277. This reflects on the URC table as the Bulls sit third and top of the SA shield while the Stormers languish at 10th on the overall table and third in the conference.
The Bulls are also in great form having won four of their last five games. The Stormers are in a four-game losing streak with losses against Racing 92, Leinster, Bulls and Lions.
Stormers lock Ruben van Heerden said this week his side were chasing a win at Loftus to turn their season around. Directory of rugby John Dobson also said the Stormers would be stronger in their scrums this time.
But with seven more round matches they have every opportunity to move up the table and qualify for the play-offs, and home ones at that.
But this is the final local derby for either side and their last chance to make the conference their own. The Stormers may be third but they are only two points off the Bulls in pole position.
A win would take them above the Pretoria side, though the Sharks could still finish top after their last two local derbies against the Lions.
The Bulls, who are fresh from a bonus-point 31–19 win over the Lions at Loftus, have also spoken up about the importance of the north-south derby.
“Both teams know where and what they have to do to get on top on the weekend,” fullback Devon Williams said.
Even so, he said they would need to be adaptable.
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