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Stormers looking to evolve backline play after unbeaten start crumbled in final weeks

Stormers scrum-half Herschel Jantjies

When, or if, rugby resumes one can surely expect a more ‘involved’ Stormers backline says assistant coach Dawie Snyman.

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The Stormers started the season in fine form recording four consecutive wins, which were achieved through the physicality of their Springbok-laden forward pack and solid defence.

But then fixtures against the New Zealand franchise Blues and the in-form Sharks followed.

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Against the Blues, the Stormers managed to score two tries. However, their lack of creativity and direction resulted in a 14-33 loss to the Kiwi side at Newlands.

In Round Seven against the Sharks, it was the same story with the only difference being Jean-Luc du Plessis who took the flyhalf spot while Damian Willemse donned the fullback jersey.

However, despite the tactical positional switch, the Sharks’ lethal backline – featuring Curwin Bosch, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi and Aphelele Fassi – was far superior during the 14-24 loss in Durban.

The two defeats amplified the Stormers’ lack of versatility on attack.

The side’s inability to switch up their play resulted in outside backs Sergeal Petersen and Seabelo Senatla barely getting involved. While Willemse’s performances at flyhalf also came under scrutiny.

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Injuries certainly played a part in the side’s performance. However, aside from Springboks scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, the Stormers backline had a relatively clean bill of health.

Acknowledging the side’s biggest flaw, Snyman revealed that the backline is working hard at evolving as an attacking threat when rugby resume.

“We started the season off with the personnel that got us in a good position.

“However, we want to evolve as a team and not just play one style of rugby,” Snyman told reporters via video conference.

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“We have a good idea of what areas we want to work on and have been discussing it amongst coaches while each individual player has been urged to look at his performance.”

He added: “We are looking at improving our kicking; playing a bit more attacking rugby; perfecting offloads and improving our aerial skills, so we are using this lockdown to study our own game.

“Overall our attack is certainly an area we want to enhance and have been working on how to get Petersen and Senatla more into the game.

“Hopefully, when we return to the field that is one thing we will want to get right and have success in that area”

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Flankly 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

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