Stormers still the team to beat?

Cape Town - Reds co-coach Nick Stiles believes that the Stormers are one of the form sides in Super Rugby 2016. 

In Stiles's defence, his statement was made before the Stormers came unstuck against the Lions on Saturday night, but he still views Robbie Fleck's charges as one of the better sides in the competition. 

The Reds lost 41-22 to the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday before the Lions overpowered the Stormers 29-22 at Ellis Park. 

The Reds now travel to Cape Town for a date against the Stormers this weekend, and Stiles is expecting an even tougher challenge. 

"They’ve been outstanding," Stiles said of the Stormers.

"I really feel that they’re potentially the team to beat in the competition so for us to move forward we’ll have to have a very good week of preparation leading into the Stormers.

"We’ve got to learn from the mistakes we made tonight against the Bulls otherwise it’ll be a similar situation."

On his side's performance against the Bulls, Stiles was pleased that they had given themselves a chance.

"With 13 minutes to go it’s a one-score game and we’re five metres out from the Bulls try line," he recalled.

"You want to put yourself where you’re in a position to win it and that was pleasing.

"I’ve been involved in a lot of sides that have come to Loftus and you fall behind on the scoreboard … things can get pretty ugly pretty quickly. Credit to the guys that they didn’t stop trying."