Fleck: We're still not at our best

Cape Town - Despite playing some of their most entertaining rugby of the season in the second half against the Rebels on Saturday, Stormers coach Robbie Fleck does not feel like his side is peaking. 

The Stormers scored five tries in the second half in Melbourne to ensure a bonus-point 57-31 win that has surely booked them a home quarter-final. 

The Stormers are now 9 points ahead of the Bulls in Africa Conference 1, and if they beat either the Force in Perth this weekend or the Rebels in Cape Town next weekend they will guarantee that home quarter-final.

The wheels fell off for the Stormers for three weeks in mid-season - they lost at home to the Waratahs, drew away at the Sunwolves and then lost against the Bulls at Loftus - but Saturday's second-half display suggested that they are very much on the right track.

But Fleck is grounded.

"I don't think we're peaking yet," he said.

"I think it's important that we need to build momentum both on and off the field and this tour was all about that.

"The June Test period had some sort of effect on the way we planned and what we could get up to in terms of the squad.

"One of the goals, apart from winning, was to get a bit of momentum and find some form going into the latter stages of this competition and it's important that we got off to a good win and we need to follow that through against the Force and the Kings.

"It's really important that we find some of the form that we showed in the early stages of this competition and this is a good start."

The game from the early stages of the season that stands out, and perhaps the one that Fleck is referring to, was on March 19 when the Stormers outclassed the Brumbies at Newlands to win 31-11. 

The Stormers were simply brilliant that day as they struck the perfect balance between being expansive while getting the basics right.

"We're not there yet," added Fleck.

"We're really pleased with the result and performance, certainly in that second half, and it's good for the confidence of the squad.

"We're in a good place, but we have a lot of work still to do."