‘Habana helpful, but job still needs to be done’

Habana is a former championship winner with the Bulls and is the only Stormer with Super 14 final experience. The Stormers would thus heavily lean on him to help them with their preparations for the big showdown with the Bulls.

But Coetzee doesn’t expect Habana’s previous final experience to make a huge difference to the outcome of the game though. “He’s been giving a lot of insight into a few things.

“But at the end of the day you have to go out there and play. We know what’s coming our way and we’re going to prepare well.”

The Bulls on Tuesday announced their side, with the return of promising wing Gerhard van den Heever in place of Jaco van der Westhuyzen the only change to the team that trounced the Crusaders in the semi-final.

“Gerhard has played very well for them. He’s a quality winger and we’re looking forward to playing the strongest possible Bulls side. I said it to the players as well… if you want to be champs you have to go beat the Bulls and then you’re worth your salt,” commented the coach.

Coetzee, a former Eastern Province scrumhalf, expects an epic clash in Johannesburg. “The Bulls away, up in Joburg is going to be one helluva clash. The job is 50 percent done.

“I mentioned last week this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we should take the last chance to win a Super 14 because it changes next year.”

Coetzee says it was important for the side to forget about the sideshows and hype and concentrate on the job at hand.

“I think one should really look at the bigger picture. Although it’s a Super 14 final and it’s between SA teams, whatever comes with that, we have to embrace that.

“We have a saying of blocking out external factors like that, and goal-kickers know the pressures that come with the job and they need to block that out. They have shown in the past that they should just be focused on getting the ball over.”

The coach said the Stormers will be doing their captain’s run at home and on Friday will visit the stadium to have a look at the field.