Mindset the issue, says Siya

Rudolph Jacobs

The Stormers will need to change their collective mindset ahead of their final Super Rugby tour game on Friday against the Highlanders, bemoaned captain Siya Kolisi.

After trailing the Crusaders 31-7 at the break in Christchurch on Saturday, the Stormers did manage to fight back well in eventually going down 45-28.

“We simply needed to hold on more to the ball and keep it tight with the forwards in getting over the advantage line. So maybe that’s the way we should be heading going forward,” said Kolisi after outscoring the hosts 21-14 in the second half.

Stormers lock Pieter-Steph du Toit is likely to be out of the Highlanders clash after leaving the field just before half-time with probable concussion.

“We need to pick ourselves up. There’s nothing we can do about it and hopefully the guys coming in will lift the side with one more game to go on tour,” said Kolisi.

The Stormers added three second-half tries to the one they scored in the first, but it was the Crusaders who scored five of their seven tries in the first half storming to a 26-0 lead after 20 minutes.

“We always tend to start off slowly, like last year and then we had to try to catch up. It’s tough to make it up when they are more than 20 points ahead,” said Kolisi.

“I’m proud though with the way the boys fought back but we simply need to start better.”

Crusaders skipper Sam Whitelock credited the Stormers how they fought back.

“Credit to the Stormers boys, they had a very tight game the previous week and they showed the pride they have in their team, he said.”