Attack coach Dawie Snyman says it is crucial the Stormers are clinical on both sides of the ball against the Lions on Saturday, as prop Frans Malherbe challenges the pack to lift their game. 

The Stormers, fresh off a narrow defeat to the Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town, are bracing for another bruising Vodacom URC derby when they face Ivan van Rooyen’s charges at Ellis Park. The Capetonians beat the Lions 29-10 at home in December and another win on the Highveld would put them right back in playoff contention.

While their last trip to Johannesburg saw the Stormers triumph 35-33, Snyman knows the danger posed by the Lions, especially their potent backline.

“Luckily it’s [defence coach] Norman’s problem!” the Stormers’ attack guru quipped in a conference on Tuesday when asked about handling the likes of Quan Horn, Edwill van der Merwe and Henco van Wyk.

“The Lions have always been a side that if you don’t get it right at Ellis Park, they can punish you. But it’s not just a defensive problem we need to solve; it’s how we play and tactically how we approach the game. If we don’t get that right, at Ellis Park where it’s fast, one mistake can lead to an 80-metre kick return for a try.

“There are great players there and we are aware of them, and we have to make sure we don’t give them space or time [on the ball].”

Reflecting on last week’s loss to the Bulls, Snyman highlighted positives despite the frustration of falling short.

MORE: Frans focused on Lions hunt, not milestone

“We had a look at the game and there’s obviously stuff that we need to work on but there’s also stuff we can build on,” he said. “We’re looking forward to going to Ellis Park; we know it’s going to be a challenge up there, [the Lions] are a good team and tough to beat.

“The SA derbies are tough, the boys really go at each other but we’re looking forward to going up to the Highveld. It’s always a nice challenge up there.”

While the Stormers scored five tries to the Bulls’ four, their inability to capitalise fully on their opportunities cost them the result.

“The main thing was the result so it hurts a lot [to have lost] but there’s some good signs and stuff to build on, which is exciting,” Snyman said. “It feels like we’re moving forward as a team in terms of where we are in the season.”

For Malherbe, the battle up front will be critical, especially after the Bulls exposed vulnerabilities in the Stormers’ traditionally dominant scrum.

“Firstly, we have to be better. The Lions, over the years, have always scrummed well against us; they’re always strong, solid and work well as a unit,” the veteran Bok scrum anchor added.

“If you’ve been outscrummed you take it on the chin, move forward and aim to just improve, it’s as simple as that.

“We saw how much of an impact the scrum can have on a match on Saturday, so we’re working hard on getting things right and back to what [the Stormers scrum] was.”

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images