VIDEO: Highlanders keep close eye on Stormers' camp
For some, a bye week in Round three – just after a great 41-34 win over the Blues – will prove to be a disadvantage.
However, as far a Highlanders flank Elliott Dixon was concerned it wasn't so much of a problem to have a bye in the third week.
Unlike last year where their first four Super Rugby games were against New Zealand opposition, Dixon revealed that he would take the current Highlanders' situation any day of the week.
The bye provided the franchise with a chance to regroup and build on some of the things they did wrong in the Blues game and come back to a full game against the Stormers.
It had been a normal training week ahead of the bye and the players had worked hard and then took time to relax over the weekend.
There had been obvious interest in the Crusaders-Stormers game, especially what sorts of things worked against the Stormers and what didn't.
"In the second half, I thought they [the Stormers] came out with real direct play with their forwards, and with momentum, and once they start to get gainline they're a real scary team. We saw with the Crusaders it is quite hard to stop big boys like that if they're coming phase after phase after phase.
"And they've got some quite good razzle out in the backs and getting it to the width and having a go," he said.
While there would be a change in focus from the way they approached New Zealand sides, Dixon admitted that this week's focus will be on preventing the Stormers big front-row gain momentum with set-piece play.
"If we let them play from set-piece to set-piece it's going to be a long night in the office but with us, we want to see if they can run around with us and if we can run them around a bit faster it will be good for us," he said.
Source: @AllBlacks
