The Bulls need to win at Newlands this Saturday to put pressure on the Stormers in the race for the Africa 1 conference title, writes JON CARDINELLI.

Nollis Marais and Robbie Fleck have spoken about the need to evolve in terms of tactics and fitness in the lead-up to the 2017 Super Rugby tournament. The Bulls and Stormers will compete against the New Zealand franchises during the regular season for the first time since 2015. A step up in intensity and execution will be non-negotiable for teams hoping to compete against the Kiwis, in the conference stage as well as in the playoffs.

Three South African sides will advance to the knockout stages of the competition, more specifically the two Africa conference winners and the next best team in the South African group. If the Lions and Sharks go on to claim two of those berths – an outcome that is expected given the draws of these Africa 2 conference teams – then it will be left to the Bulls, Stormers and Cheetahs to fight for the remaining qualifying place.

The pressure is on the Bulls and Stormers to accumulate log points in the fixtures against the more fancied New Zealand teams. South African derbies will be more important than ever, as Africa 1 title contenders will look to bank as many points as they can against non-New Zealand opponents.

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Indeed, the result of the first clash between the Bulls and Stormers at Newlands could affect the final standings. When one compares the schedules of these rivals, one begins to understand how the competition will only get tougher for the Bulls.

The Bulls have to beat the Stormers this Saturday and bank four valuable log points. If they fail to do so, they could spend the rest of the tournament chasing the Cape franchise, instead of setting the pace at the top of the Africa 1 log.

The Bulls will play five of their first six fixtures away from home. After tackling the Stormers in Cape Town, they will face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. That's another game they desperately need to win.

They have a shocking record in New Zealand and will be the underdogs in the fixtures against the Blues and Chiefs. The journey to Tokyo in round seven won't ease their pain or fatigue.

Following their second bye, the Bulls will host the Crusaders, Highlanders and Hurricanes in the space of four weeks. During that period, they will also battle the Lions away from home.

The Bulls have to win their matches in South Africa if they are to have any chance of qualifying for the playoffs. There should be a focus on winning the early matches and building some momentum before that tour to New Zealand. A couple of early losses in the early rounds would be a blow to their Africa 1 title aspirations.

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The Stormers will face the five New Zealand teams during the conference stage, and it's fair to say that Fleck's young side will be underdogs in every single one of those fixtures.

What the Stormers have in their favour, at least in the context of the Africa 1 title race, is a draw that sees them playing five of their first seven games at Newlands. They will enjoy the benefit of home advantage in one of the toughest derby games against the Lions, the best team in South Africa in 2016. One of their cross-conference away games is against the hapless Kings.

In short, the Stormers will have an opportunity to build some momentum before departing on a difficult three-match tour to New Zealand in mid-April. The Cape side will tackle the Crusaders, Highlanders and Hurricanes (all playoff qualifiers in 2016) before enjoying their second bye.

It's not going to be easy for either side. Both teams lack experience in key areas. The New Zealand teams should have an edge in all 10 of these matches.

Knowing this, the Bulls and Stormers will place extra importance on derby matches. They don't come bigger than a north-south derby, and in the context of their schedule, this weekend's clash against the Stormers could be the Bulls' most important of the season.

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