Stormers need to sharpen up for Crusaders

Stormers skill coach Paul Feeney has asked the players to show better decision-making on attack and improved concentration at the set-piece after their 29-16 loss against the Lions at Newlands last Saturday.

Feeney was speaking from Auckland where the Stormers are basing themselves for this weekend’s Super Rugby meeting with the unbeaten Crusaders in Christchurch.

Defeat against the Lions was the Stormers’ first loss of the season in their seventh match‚ which in itself is not an issue.

But losing before a three-match New Zealand tour has put some pressure on the side. Feeney believes that better composure in the red zone last weekend‚ when the Stormers spent nearly 15 minutes camped on the Lions’ tryline‚ could have led to a different result.

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"Scrums on our ball were nice and solid‚ but we had a couple of lapses in concentration on their ball‚" said Feeney. "At lineout time we lost a couple of balls as well.

"In that 12 minutes we spent in their 22 after halftime‚ we had a couple of lineouts and we had three scrums not far from their line.

“We were very close to getting over on three occasions. Whether it was the option taking by the backs out wide‚ our picking and going or not staying patient enough‚ we just could not quite finish them off.

"It is the team's attack in general which we need to sharpen up a bit. We were not quite as good as were the week before against the Chiefs."

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The Crusaders have won seven out of seven this season thanks largely to their abrasive pack‚ which has consistently laid the foundation for their wins.

Their defence has been superb too‚ only conceding 14 tries in seven matches while their ability to finish matches strongly is a telling sign that they are brilliantly conditioned.

The Stormers’ clash will be the 51st time the Crusaders play a home match against a side from SA since 1996.

In that time they have won 45‚ lost three and drawn two. The Stormers have never won away against the Crusaders‚ so this is a chance to make some history‚ but first they will have to quell the All Black-laden pack.

"Some of their starting forwards also start for the All Blacks‚" Feeney said.

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"There is [Joe] Moody‚ [Owen] Franks‚ [Sam] Whitelock and [Kieran] Read. Then you got [Wyatt] Crockett‚ [Luke] Romano‚ [Scott] Barrett and [Matt] Todd - they can put out an All Black forward pack easily‚ so that is what makes them dangerous.

"They are very good at the set-piece‚ they are very physical and they are very well-organised.

“In the backs [flyhalf] Richie Mo'unga has come of age and he's got about three Super Rugby campaigns under his belt.

"Ryan Crotty in the midfield is rock solid so they have a good group of players across the park. But it all starts with their pack.

"It is the best forward pack going around in Super Rugby‚ simple as that and that is what they lay their platform on."

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport