VIDEO: Moerat slams Stormers' inability to execute half-time message
SPOTLIGHT: WATCH as Stormers captain Salmaan Moerat bemoaned his side’s inability to get a fast start against the Bulls in their rescheduled Round One United Rugby Championship 32-33 loss.
Ahead of the North-South clash, Stormers captain Salmaan Moerat highlighted the importance of a fast start but also mentioned that it’s important to adapt when it doesn’t go that route.
“A game can go either way. Sometimes you get a very good start and other times you don’t,” Moerat said on Friday.
“It’s all about how you respond to that.
“Any team goes out to get a fast start, but sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way, and it’s about adapting.”
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The Bulls were the team to strike the first blow through lock Cobus Wiese who dotted down merely one minute and 20 seconds into the match for the visitors’ opening score.
The Stormers managed to adapt and fought back at various stages of the game to stay within touching distance of the Bulls and also held the lead at certain periods.
The second half started like the first when centre Harold Vorster crossed the whitewash to extend his side’s lead to six points after David Kriel missed the conversion.
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Moerat bemoaned that the message and objectives of his side didn’t reflect on the pitch at the start of the match as the situation repeated itself at the beginning of the second half, and feels that it is something the Stormers need to address.
“It’s something we addressed in the changeroom as well [starting well].
“Half time we had a clear message when we went out onto the field, but didn’t quite execute that.
“Maybe that is something we need to look at.
“I said yesterday [Friday], all teams want to start well and fast, but it’s not always possible.
“The ball bounces either way, we need to be a bit more clinical… I know it’s a bit of a cliché.
“But a bit more clinical around the start of a second half and just try to manage the way we start the game.
“I thought we did really well to bounce back from that momentum swing.”
