The player who caused most problems for the Stormers in the Chiefs game was Lowe. So why was Lowe so quiet in the Sharks game while being so active in the Stormers game?
Let me explain the scenario. The Stormers mania for playing small players as outside backs have everything to do with it. Playing a combination of p[layers like De Jongh, Leyds and Kolbe is manna from heaven for players like Lowe.
Then you must also couple that to idiotic kicking by the Stormers flyhalf - who constantly failed to find touch with relieving kicks or if he did kicked th ball so near to the touch line that quick throw-ins are easy as pie. That allowed for counter-attacks by outside backs of the Chiefs.
What are the solutions to the problems encountered by the Stormers? The answers are simple -
* don't play a Vodacom Cup level player at flyhalf and expect a positive outcome; and
* forget about a combination of small players as outside backs - one small player is allowable - three is inexusable.
The Stormers can play Leyds at full baclk - or Kolbe and forget about Leyds. They have the following players who can be regarded as proper opponents for players like Lowe and co: Van Wyk, Kotze and Jones. Van Wyk is already a feature in the team - so play Jones at 13 and Kotze at 11 - or vice versa.
De Jongh at 13 does not produce anything of substance in attack and he is a defensive liability. So why is he still a constant in the Stormers team? The Stormers in particular are looking for trouble if proper changes are not made in the case of the Highlanders match. The Highlanders have big, strong and clever players like Ben Smith, Patrick Osborne, Waisake Naholo and Malakai Fekitoa as their outside backs and like the Chiefs did - will make mincemeat of the three small outside backs.
