PUSHING BOUNDARIES
Stormers reveal weekly ‘Kiwi day’
New Zealand rugby is the standard‚ which the world is trying to match‚ and there is no shame in the Stormers trying to do the same
Some might call it madness and others genius‚ but Thursdays at Stormers’ training are no longer gentle strolls through match-day preparation‚ but rather a thunderously intense session designed to take players to the limit of their capabilities. The afternoon field session has become known as "Kiwi day" at the High Performance Centre in Bellville. It was a closely guarded secret until flyhalf Rob du Preez casually tossed in the phrase when answering a question this week. There was a pricking of journalists’ ears when he said: "Every Thursday, we call a ‘Kiwi day’ where we prepare for them [New Zealand teams]‚ because we know they pose a different threat. We go hard at each other on Thursdays." He did not expand and it was left to coach Robbie Fleck to try to throw a fire blanket on the remark. "Kiwi day is when we increase the intensity‚ physicality and the tempo of our training session‚" he said. "It’s a 55-minute session, where it’s full on and we try to beat match-day intensity. I...
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