Full focus needed to beat Cheetahs, Pretorius says

Total focus on the job at hand is needed if his side want to subdue a spirited Cheetahs outfit at Newlands on Saturday, Stormers centre Rikus Pretorius says.

After playing second fiddle to Welsh star Jamie Roberts at the start of the year, an energised Pretorius is making the most of an extended run in the Stormers starting line-up.

Roberts, who was the first choice inside centre before lockdown, has returned home to play for the Dragons.

We will have some confidence “going into Newlands this weekend and playing against the Cheetahs in our first home game in a while,” Pretorius said.

“It wasn t always easy being ’ on the road the past three weeks, but we re looking forward ’ to the challenge.

“The Cheetahs are always a difficult team to play against.

“You need to respect every single team in this competition and you can t just take anything ’ for granted. So it s quite ’ important that you stay focused for every single game.”

The Stormers want Pretorius and centre partner Dan du Plessis to provide the cutting edge required to pull off the bonus point win they need to keep their title hopes alive.

Stormers coach John Dobson, however, has made it clear that the Currie Cup is the big prize his team is chasing this season. Dobson s team have faced a ’ daunting Unlocked draw, with four of their six matches away.

In the Currie Cup, where points earned in the Unlocked Series will be taken forward, the Stormers have the advantage of more home games.

The Unlocked draw isn t traditional,” ’ Dobson said.

We ve only got two home “’ games the whole round and four away games.

Four on the road this time of “the year, going up to altitude in these temperatures, is tough. I don t want to make excuses, “’ but it is a tough draw.

We re working entirely for “’ the Currie Cup, its one season ’ for us.

We ve got a goal of being in “’ the final on January 23, and ideally at Newlands.”

Even though his team s hopes ’ of winning the Unlocked title are hanging by a thread, the Stormers have not given up hope of landing a double.

To win the Unlocked title they have to win with a bonus point against the Cheetahs and repeat the feat away to the Sharks next weekend if they plan to catch up with the logleading Bulls.

With a six-point lead over the Stormers the Bulls only need to ‚ win their remaining clash against the Pumas to be crowned Unlocked champs. “We ve just addressed certain

’ aspects of our defence and made one or two tweaks for individual players and I think it worked in our last game against Griquas,” Stormers defence coach Norman Laker said. I think any team can win on “any given day so the competition

‚ is far from over. I wouldn ’ t say that it is just a case of us accepting that the Bulls will win the title.”

Fixtures:

Friday: Griquas v Sharks (7pm). Saturday: Lions v Pumas (4.30pm), Stormers v Cheetahs (7pm).