Stormers star Dan du Plessis says they are ready for Glasgow Warriors. Picture: by Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images.
Stormers midfielder Dan du Plessis says the team are determined to walk away with a win in their United Rugby Championship last-eight encounter against Glasgow Warriors on Saturday at the Scotstoun Stadium (kick-off at 8.35pm).
The side from the Cape have been known to be bad travellers in the URC, with them regularly returning from tours with defeats behind their name.
However, they have been on a mission to correct this and just recently recorded two excellent wins on the road, against the Dragons and Connacht in the regular season run-in.
The task facing them this weekend though is a difficult one; they are playing their first URC playoff game away from the Cape Town Stadium, and they have not won against the Warriors in Scotland. In their two visits to the Scotstoun Stadium in the URC, they have lost 24-17 and 20-9.
However, Du Plessis says the Stormers want to change their fortunes away from home against the Warriors, having learned lessons from previous trips.
“I think we’ve gone there previously and not put up our best performances,” Du Plessis told the Stormers media team.
“We’ve learnt a lot from our last two trips to Scotstoun Stadium, and we’ll do everything in our power to change the outcome this week.
“Glasgow have stepped it up a notch in attack since Franco [Smith] has taken over,” he said.
Du Plessis shared the same sentiments as Stormers director of rugby, John Dobson, on how playing a URC playoff away from home will help the team grow.
“It was a step in the right direction on the last tour to prove to ourselves that we can do it away from home as well, and we’re looking forward to what is going to be a good quarter-final in Scotland,” he said.
“There is a good vibe in the team at the moment that’s been helped by the fact that we come off a couple of victories the last few weeks.
“Dobbo and the coaches have done a great job keeping the guys positive and energised towards the end of the season. The guys are looking really focused and determined,” Du Plessis said.
