Smith excited by superb Stormers
‘THIS IS EXCELLENT FOR SA RUGBY’
The Stormers’ display in hammering the Cheetahs 53-10 in their Super Rugby clash on Saturday augurs well for South African rugby, according to Cheetahs coach Franco Smith.
The Stormers ran in eight tries, and after leading 22-3 at the break, they continued their demolition job in the second half with flanker Sikhumbuzo Notshe completing a hat-trick.
Smith, also the Springbok backline coach who will be in attendance at the national camp starting in Stellenbosch today, said the Stormers were simply awesome.
“It makes me excited in my second role (as Bok assistant coach). What their coaching staff have done in the pre-season has been great,” he said.
“And I think they haven’t fired on all cylinders this season the way they did here.”
Smith felt that what the Lions had done so well last year, the Stormers did at the weekend.
“Before we talk about our wheels coming off, what the Stormers put out there was excellent for South African rugby. They were great,” he said.
“Their line speed on defence, the dominance in the rucks and the width they managed, their offloads and the freedom with which they played and their passes that stuck.”
For a team to play as well as they did, Smith believed their conditioning had to be top-notch.
“Players like fullback SP Marais and centre EW Viljoen were great if I had to mention names,” he said.
“And we have been watching SP for a while – ever since I saw him in Harare – which is great, in general, for our game in the country.”
Smith admitted his own team were simply outplayed.
“I didn’t recognise some of my players out there, but that’s pressure,” he said.
“There’s no excuses. It’s part of the growing process to experience that pressure.”