The Sharks will meet fire with fire when it comes to the Stormers’ adventurous approach to Super Rugby this season and will be aiming to not only match the Capetonians try for try but aim to go one or two further.
That, funnily enough, was the positive words from the Sharks’ defence coach, although Ryan Strudwick adds that the Sharks’ coaching staff have gone to school on how the New Zealand teams dismantled the Stormers’ attack on their recent unfortunate tour.
“We scored six tries against the Sunwolves and the guys very much enjoyed getting across the try-line, something we have been trying hard to do all season,” Strudwick said. “It is not just the Stormers that want to play attacking rugby. These days I think everybody wants to attack.
“Everybody knows that they have dangerous players throughout their team, especially a back three that is capable of lethal counter-attack,” the former Sharks lock of the late ‘90s said. “It is also well known that they have formidable forward ball carriers (the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Siya Kolisi).
“And if the Stormers forwards can initiate momentum, their backs can be very dangerous, so we are focussing on stopping some of their key players to prevent them getting their attacking game going. That is exactly what the New Zealand teams did to them.
"They did not allow the Stormers to get momentum and they put them under pressure with their line speed. Our challenge this week is to do the same as the Kiwis did.”
But for the Sharks, it is not just about stopping the opposition play.
“We all want to have the ball in hand, and the longer that is the case, the less defending you do and the less opportunities for the opposition to attack,” Strudwick said.
“We are scoring more points that we are conceding and our try tally is increasing.”