Pienaar: 'It's not the Stormers' way' after Boland rout
REACTION: Stormers defence coach Pine Pienaar has taken full responsibility for his side’s defensive collapse in their 3-41 Currie Cup defeat to Boland, admitting the six-try drubbing fell well below the standards expected at the Cape franchise.
After producing a committed defensive display in their opening-round victory over Griquas, the Stormers were torn apart by a clinical Boland side on Sunday, leaving Pienaar frustrated by a performance he insists did not reflect the team’s identity.
“As a defence coach, I’ll take full responsibility for that,” Pienaar said.
“The Stormers have got a certain DNA, especially when it comes to our defence. It’s something we definitely want to honour.
“Sunday wasn’t a reflection of how good this side can be. A week earlier against Griquas we showed our collective physicality and our defensive system, but against Boland they moved the point of contact really well. The ball was too quick for us to get our spacing and our line speed right.”
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Pienaar pinpointed the Stormers’ inability to win the collision battle as the biggest reason for the defeat.
“One of the disappointing aspects was the collision area. We couldn’t get decent quality tackles; we couldn’t get our defensive lines set and we struggled to find the energy that normally comes from our defence.
“It’s not the way the Stormers defend and it’s not the way we want to look on the field. We have to make sure we’re much better this weekend.”
Despite the heavy loss, Pienaar expects an immediate response when the Stormers return to DHL Stadium to face the Sharks.
“Playing at home is always a massive privilege. Hopefully after Sunday’s game there will be a lot of energy and passion because the result simply wasn’t good enough for us as a team.”
The defence coach is expecting another stern examination from a Sharks side also looking to rebound after suffering defeat last weekend.
“They’ve had a good start to the competition. Winning away from home in the first round was a fantastic result and even against the Cheetahs they were in the contest for a long time before the game got away from them.
“They’ve got a quality set-piece, dangerous ball carriers, an exciting back three and experienced halfbacks. It’s going to be a massive challenge for us.”
The Stormers will, however, be without experienced prop Oli Kebble, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the Currie Cup with a shoulder injury.
Meanwhile, young centre Josh Boulle believes the players have already shifted their focus to putting things right against the Sharks after an honest review of the Boland defeat.
“We have to be realistic. Sunday wasn’t the performance we wanted, but it’s a short turnaround and now the focus is on the Sharks,” Boulle said.
“Against Griquas our physicality and collisions allowed our defensive system to function properly. That’s the standard we have to get back to this weekend.”
The emerging midfielder, who has taken on leadership responsibilities within the side, admitted the defensive performance hurt the squad but believes the competition for places throughout the Stormers setup will drive the team’s response.
“We know what we need to fix. We’ve reviewed the game; we’ve been honest with each other and now it’s about delivering a much better performance.”
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