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Cape Town - The flyhalf position is giving Stormers coach Allister Coetzee sleepless nights ahead of the Super Rugby competition.
Coetzee is expected to pick Gary van Aswegen as his flyhalf for the game against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. This could mean that Van Aswegen may be the favourite to start in the No 10 jersey for their first Super Rugby clash against the Hurricanes on February 25.
However, Coetzee has thus far probed four flyhalves - Van Aswegen, Burton Francis, Demetri Catrakilis and Kurt Coleman - in their pre-season games and he's not entirely satisfied with their form.
"Their tactical play is not yet up to standard," Coetzee told Die Burger newspaper.
"The ability to play the situation still lacks when we're working on general attacking play.
"If you play in your own half, you also can't just shift the ball to the backline players. It's then when the boot needs to be used.
"It's also not needed to take the ball up in your own half if there are time and space to relieve pressure with a kick. You want to keep possession in your opponents' half and force them to make tackles. That's the level I want our flyhalves to develop into."
Van Aswegen's performance in Port Elizabeth is especially important as Coetzee is still uncertain when Peter Grant will be able to return from the Kobelco Steelers in Japan.
"The worst that could happen is for Peter not to be here for the first two matches. Maybe he will only miss the first match or even join us before the start of the Super Rugby series," said Coetzee.
However, it remains a big possibility that Van Aswegen will get his chance against the Hurricanes at Newlands.
Coetzee is expected to pick Gary van Aswegen as his flyhalf for the game against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. This could mean that Van Aswegen may be the favourite to start in the No 10 jersey for their first Super Rugby clash against the Hurricanes on February 25.
However, Coetzee has thus far probed four flyhalves - Van Aswegen, Burton Francis, Demetri Catrakilis and Kurt Coleman - in their pre-season games and he's not entirely satisfied with their form.
"Their tactical play is not yet up to standard," Coetzee told Die Burger newspaper.
"The ability to play the situation still lacks when we're working on general attacking play.
"If you play in your own half, you also can't just shift the ball to the backline players. It's then when the boot needs to be used.
"It's also not needed to take the ball up in your own half if there are time and space to relieve pressure with a kick. You want to keep possession in your opponents' half and force them to make tackles. That's the level I want our flyhalves to develop into."
Van Aswegen's performance in Port Elizabeth is especially important as Coetzee is still uncertain when Peter Grant will be able to return from the Kobelco Steelers in Japan.
"The worst that could happen is for Peter not to be here for the first two matches. Maybe he will only miss the first match or even join us before the start of the Super Rugby series," said Coetzee.
However, it remains a big possibility that Van Aswegen will get his chance against the Hurricanes at Newlands.
