Investec Stormers still without Davids

The big man – whose bulk and physical presence would have come in handy against the imposing Bulls pack – is still battling with an ankle injury that kept him out of the Stormers last four games.

The Stormers had hoped that Davids would play a role in the big game, but after Tuesday’s two training sessions coach Gert Smal had to concede that Davids was not fit enough to travel to Pretoria.

Good news, however, is that prop Riaan Olckers is ready after having recovered from the injury that kept him out of Saturday’s narrow victory over the Cats at Newlands. He will be considered for the game, but Pat Barnard made quite an impression when he came on as substitute in the previous two games.

Smal will be announcing his side on Wednesday afternoon.

Fullback Werner Greeff and No 8 Adri Badenhorst are still on the injury list.

Smal was full of confidence that the Stormers would do well, even without the injured players.

“We worked very hard today and got in two training sessions,” said the coach. He added that while it was important to know what your opponents’ strong and weak points are so that you can prevent them from playing the game they want to play, it was even more important to concentrate on your own game plan.

”It is important that we don’t worry too much about our opponents and rather get our own game pattern and form at such a level that we can secure a win.”