Stephen Nell

Cape Town – "The Bulls softened the Blues for us. I hope they have not angered the Chiefs!"

With those words Stormers captain Schalk Burger made the point that it will be important for his team to pressurise the Chiefs from the word go in Friday’s Super 14 match in Hamilton.

The Stormers managed it brilliantly in Auckland last week to beat a Blues side that had taken out the Bulls the week before. On the same weekend the Bulls also got back on the winning track by beating the Chiefs.

However, that has left the Chiefs in a position where their Super 14 campaign will derail if they fail to beat the Stormers.

"The Chiefs have their backs to the wall and it’s difficult to play against teams like that. On top of that a big crowd is expected, so it will be a tough one," said Burger.

“We have trained well this week and prepared in the same manner that we did against the Blues. It’s important for us to play with the same intensity and show the same character.”

In order to neutralise the Chiefs’ strengths, accuracy in the execution of the Stormers’ game plan will be very important.

Flyhalf Peter Grant, in particular, will be a key player.

His kicking at posts is top-notch at the moment and he has succeeded with all 12 his attempts on tour. However, a poor kick down field against the Blues last week showed just what New Zealand teams are capable of when handed the ball on a platter.

A counter-attack was launched from the Blues’ 22-metre area and ended with Serge Lilo’s try.

Tactical kicking, including the distance he gets out of hand, has always been a question mark behind Grant’s game.

However, he can strengthen his bid for a place in Springbok coach Peter de Villiers’s plans by building on last week’s performance.

“It can be one poor kick that puts you on the back foot. We’ll have to be careful with the execution of our kicks,” said Stormers backline coach Robbie Fleck.