Stormers look at recent positives to blunt Reds’ challenge

Stormers coach Robbie Fleck says they’re aiming to implement some of the positives they produced on tour and against the Blues when they meet the Reds at Newlands today (kick-off 5.15 pm).

The Stormers will host the Australians following their 37-20 win over the Blues last week – thanks to an inspiring first half performance. And while they looked great against Tana Umaga’s team, it wasn’t the same on their three-match tour to Australasia.

Last weekend, the Stormers were solid at the set-piece, put the opposition under huge pressure with their line speed, and strung together good attacking opportunities against a Blues side which was far from perfect.

That Stormers fire didn’t burn as strongly in the second 40 as it did in the first, but they managed to put the Blues away to record their second Super Rugby win in five matches after three defeats on tour, to the Waratahs, Crusaders and Highlanders.

On tour things weren’t as positive as they were in those first 40 minutes against the Blues, but in Christchurch the Stormers managed to fight back after a terrible opening quarter, although that raised more questions about their ability to perform for 80 minutes.

They looked better against the Highlanders, and Fleck now wants to see the positives he identified in their last four games carried into their performance against the Reds today.

“They have some good ball-carriers – two or three in the backline – and they’ve got good loose forwards. So we’re going to have to front up and put them under pressure. I think the stuff we showed we can do overseas and in that first half against the Blues we can certainly implement against the Reds,” he said.

While the Stormers have been struggling to get consistency, the Reds have a good record early in their campaign. And Fleck said Brad Thorne’s improved team will be a good challenge.

“They don’t have too many weaknesses. They’ve won three out of four and they’ve been winning on the road, so it’s going to be a good challenge for us.”

“Culturally they look a lot more solid, they don’t look loose. They’re a good physical side, they’ve got good ball-carriers, they do the basics really well and they’ve got a good set-piece. They’ve also got the ability to defend for numerous phases.”

“Brad has installed a few good things there, everything he stood for as a player. He’s got that looseness out of their game, and that makes them a more balanced side. For me that makes them a tougher challenge than what they were in the past.”

The Stormers mentor highlighted the fact that the Reds have a couple of dangerous players, but his side don’t lack in that department at all either.

In an exciting backline, fullback Craig Barry – who makes his first start for the Stormers – will get to show what he can do at this level, while the rest of the Stormers backs will get a chance to replicate their promising showings of last week.

Up front, Cobus Wiese returns to the starting line-up at blindside flank with Pieter-Steph du Toit moving back to No 5 lock. And both of these players’ contributions in those positions will be ones to watch.

And after the magical performance he put in last week, flyhalf Damian Willemse is of course going to be on everyone’s radar.

But apart from the performances of individual players, an important, and rather obvious factor for the Stormers this afternoon is going to be their consistency – how well they can do what they did last week, and for how long.

If the Stormers can manage to put in a similar performance to the one they did against the Blues - for a full game - they have a shot at getting their campaign on track, properly.

REUTERS ON HIS TOES: David Warner at the crease.