Coach John Dobson has identified what the Stormers “really need to get right” in Saturday’s Vodacom URC quarter-final against Cardiff.
The Welsh side has never won in Cape Town, but put one over the Stormers in Cardiff two weeks ago to secure a playoff spot for the first time.
“It didn’t sit nicely with us,” Dobson said of the 22-16 defeat in which Cardiff breached the Stormers’ defence four times. “The team is completely aligned on what we have to fix.”
The Stormers coach highlighted the side’s defensive struggles, particularly in the wide channels.
“I think we lacked line speed and tackle dominance closer to the breakdown and that made it harder for the guys out wide,” he said.
“Cardiff’s ball speed was incredibly quick and once they get on top of you with those short passes, you’re in trouble.
“It’s definitely a flashpoint for us and something we’re acutely aware of.”
DOBBO: Champions Cup ‘massive’ for Stormers
Dobson says the Stormers also need to be more clinical inside the opposition 22.
“We get the second-most 22m entries in the competition, but our points per entry isn’t high enough. That’s an obvious area we absolutely have to improve.”
URC stats put the Stormers way down in 11th in terms of attacking metrics.
ALSO: Six SA coaches gunning for URC glory
Cardiff won eight of nine home URC matches on their artificial 4G pitch, but will run out at Cape Town Stadium to the smell of freshly cut grass.
Stormers prop Neethling Fouché, though, dismissed suggestions that returning to grass after two difficult matches against Ulster and Cardiff on 4G surfaces would automatically favour them.
“There’s no chat about us suddenly being comfortable because we’re back on grass,” he said. “We’re preparing for a team that beat us two weeks ago, so we have to be better.”
Photo: Kian Abdullah/Gallo Images
The post ‘Stormers know what we have to fix’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Coach John Dobson has identified what the Stormers “really need to get right” in Saturday’s Vodacom URC quarter-final against Cardiff.
The post ‘Stormers know what we have to fix’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
