The Stormers scored four tries at Newlands on Saturday, something that has been on the endangered species list for many years now at the grand old stadium.
But yet, such is the promise being shown on attack by Robbie Fleck’s team that one scribe thought out aloud that if the Cape side could avoid their handling errors, they could score “13 tries or something”!
Even the normally half-glass-full Fleck was stopped in his tracks with that line, but it is true that the Stormers cannot afford to waste try-scoring chances against better opposition as they did against the Reds, as they probably wouldn’t further opportunities in playoff games when they face teams like the Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes.
Finishing has been a problem in 2016 for the Stormers, but while the new rules denied them a four-try bonus point in the 40-22 victory over the Reds, it proved that they do have the ability to produce touchdowns.
“The big thing is that we are creating opportunities. We are getting more line-breaks and half-busts than we ever had before, and let’s look at that first and foremost and say ‘It’s good. We are on the right track’. And the next step is to get that finishing (sorted out),” Fleck said.
“We haven’t created opportunities like that in a long time. And that’s the most exciting and pleasing part – in the change room, the players were so excited about that try at the end there. And that’s the passion and excitement that we want to keep going.
“We don’t want to be too negative about it, but we’ve got to improve and the finishing is key. I guess that’s the next step, and we need to get our support right and get that final pass away. We are getting the opportunities and the line-breaks, but now we need to go one step further.”
The problem started early on Saturday when flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis’s thrilling break came to nothing as he waited too long to look for support and threw a somewhat blind pass too far in front of No 8 Nizaam Carr.
There were other errors which saw Cheslin Kolbe having the ball knocked out of hands inside the Reds 22, while Damian de Allende lost the ball in contact in the red zone as well after trying to free his hands to offload instead of taking the ball to ground and recycling it.
The decision-making is vital in that regard, and it’s something that Fleck will address in the build-up to Saturday’s big showdown with the Waratahs at Newlands. “You just have to sit with the player and ask him what he was thinking at that moment – did he see his support runners? It wasn’t just JL’s (Du Plessis) one, there were three or four actually where we could’ve put that final pass away,” the coach said.
“Our support was probably a little lateral at times and we probably weren’t coming from depth and over-ran it a bit. But in terms of coaching it, sit down and ask them their thoughts, go through the footage with them, discuss it and take it on to the field and create drills on it.
“It’s a work in progress, and it’s frustrating for everyone. But the good thing is that the players are really becoming comfortable and we are starting to make those moments of magic. And it’s going to come. If we can convert half of our line-breaks into points, then we are becoming a good team.”
@IndyCapeSport - Independent Media