De Villiers expects tough challenge from Blues

STORMERS captain Jean de Villiers labelled his team’s clash with the Blues as ‘‘the big game of the year’’ and praised the character and defence that have emerged under new coach John Kirwan.

Both teams are in the mix at the right end of desperately close Super Rugby conferences, where every point will count over the back half of the regular season.

‘‘We almost see this as the big game of the year,’’ de Villiers said as the Stormers trained ahead of tonight’s match at North Harbour Stadium.

‘‘We haven’t even mentioned pressure, which wouldn’t be in our thought process anyway. But we do realise the position we’re in. It makes every game an important one. If we slip up we’ll find it very tough. process that has gone on year’s disastrous season.

‘‘They’ve got a good mix of exciting young talent and experience, with Piri Weepu and Rene Ranger bringing the experience. They’ve got players who can run and step, and they don’t seem to like structure, so we know we are going to have to do a lot of tackling.

‘‘The challenge will be to make sure that we make completed tackles or we know we could be in trouble,’’ de Villiers said.

He has been impressed with the resolve the Blues have displayed this year. Their ledger is balanced at four wins and four defeats – the same as the Stormers – but the Blues’ losses have been tight and they have also managed to compile enough bonus points to keep them in contention be-

since

last hind New Zealand leaders, the Chiefs.

‘‘I think last year hurt them and they are trying to make up for that. They also have a good coach in John Kirwan, and I think they’ve done really well with what they have been doing,’’ de Villiers said.

‘‘They have a quality backline that can hurt you. Even though they don’t like structure, they haven’t conceded a lot of tries. In fact, they’re just behind us when it comes to tries conceded.

‘‘Normally attacking teams leak a lot of tries but not these guys.’’

De Villiers noted that the Stormers had enjoyed good results against the Blues and he felt his side was blessed with enough depth to cope with the usual injury problems plaguing most teams at this stage of the year.