Stormers heading in the 'right direction'
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Robbie Fleck believes it won’t be long before the Stormers find their perfect balance.
The Cape Town-based side head into Friday’s clash against the Reds in dire need of a win.
The Stormers’ problem areas have been amplified on their Australia tour following defeats to the Hurricanes (28-34) and the Blues (9-24) in New Zealand.
The team’s lack of creativity in the backline – evident during the defeat to the Hurricanes – was the first worrying sign. While flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis’ kicking game and decision-making also raised a few eyebrows.
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However, the coach tried to alleviate the shortcomings with a tactical change, opting for a more expensive brand of rugby against the Blues – a complete contrast from their usual forward dominance. The visitors made a few runs but failed to produce a lethal attack and they left Auckland without scoring a try.
Despite the Cape Town franchise’s recent results, Fleck is adamant that his team is on the right path in finding the perfect balance between the pack and backline.
“Tactically we have been pretty smart,” Fleck told reporters on Wednesday, ahead of their Round Eight encounter.
“Against the Hurricanes, we identified an opportunity up front which worked for us, but we probably kicked too early which let us down, we should’ve held onto the ball a little longer and created a few more opportunities
“Against the Blues we recognized we could rack up more carries – which is a step in the right direction. We forced their pack to make a number of tackles and dominated possession and territory. We created loads of opportunities, however, we also had 20 turnovers which is not good when it comes to execution.
“What’s important for this week is that we need to find the balance between our game against the Hurricanes and our performance against the Blues.
“The tempo of the games has been of a high nature, which has been great for our players to get used to. We are expecting another physical battle, but we have to keep in mind it’s a different team and different challenge” he added.
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The coach also revealed that the plan to rest captain Siya Kolisi and Damian De Allende on the basis of the World Cup protocols has taken a backseat due to injuries to senior players.
“We were certainly looking to give Kolisi and De Allende a break on tour, however the injury situations have hindered that.
“They are both senior players and with quite a young side for this weekend we certainly need their guidance – along with Frans Malherbe and Bongi Mbonambi from the bench.
“Both players are committed to the course and we certainly will look to rest them in the future,” Fleck added.
By Leezil Hendricks
@Leezil07
@rugby365com
