READY OR NOT: Stormers flanker Deon Fourie, left. Picture: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
The Stormers are playing their cards close to the chest on whether Deon Fourie is reg to tackle La Rochelle rival Levani Botia in Saturday’s do-or-die Champions Cup clash at 4pm.
Fetcher supreme Fourie suffered a rib injury in the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship defeat to the Bulls in Pretoria on 2 March, forcing him to miss out on his span’s wins over Edinburgh and Ulster.
And speaking this week, defence coach Norman Laker was toebek on Fourie facing Fijian yster Botia – the two veterans faced off in the pool stages on 16 December, with the Stormers claiming a last-gasp 21-20 win.
On Fourie’s readiness for a rematch, again at Cape Town Stadium, Laker says: “Let’s wait and see.”
But the assistant coach is confident the hosts can make it a one-two punch versus the French visitors after beating the reigning back-to-back Euro champions.
He says: “We have a good indication of what we’re in for. They’re two-time champs with world-class players who are physical [but] so do we.”
Double Springbok world champion Damian Willemse, meanwhile, reckons the Kapenaars will rise to the occasion.
He adds: “This is a round-of-16 game, it’s pressure. It’s all about how we manage that pressure and come up with solutions.
“It’s knockout rugby and we won’t sit back and will take the challenge to them.
“We [also] can’t look at it and not have fun. That’s what we do as the Stormers. We go out and play to the best of our ability.”
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