Stephen Larkham

Steven Larkham has done his homework on the Stormers as he looks to turn the Brumbies’ season around with the clash at Newlands on Saturday, pointing out the lineout as an area of weakness.

The Brumbies and the Stormers are both coming off hard-fought derby losses which will put added pressure in the camps as they look to rectify that by preparing for their encounter in the Cape.

“It’s about focusing on your job and focusing on your game, we’ve done a fair bit of research on the Stormers and they are a dangerous outfit,” Larkham said at a press conference at their hotel in Cape Town on Tuesday.

There were 2 key areas of concern in the Stormers loss to the Cheetahs: Their lineout was poorly organised and executed, and miss-fired kicks at goal ended up costing them the game.

Since Manuel Carizza’s injury, the Stormers’ lineouts have fallen to pieces.

Ruan Botha called the shots in the set-piece on Saturday and it did not go down well, however when Eben Etzebeth was controlling the calls he did not do a much better job.

It can also partly be blamed on Bongi Mbonambi, who is no John Smit when it comes to hitting your jumpers. Scarra Ntubeni is once again, not much better in that regard.

Larkham said that the Stormers lineout is definitely an area that the Brumbies have looked at in preparation for the clash at Newlands.

“They (the Stormers) are not being as consistent as they need to be there, and it is partly the calling and the movement and partly some of the throwing,” added Larkham.

“We have certainly identified that.

“It is something that can be a little hot and cold through the season, but they have had a string of poor games in the lineout and that is certainly something we have looked at.”

Stormers’ coach Allister Coetzee has been dropping hints of recent that with Juan de Jongh a doubt for Saturday, Damien De Allende may shift to outside centre with Jaco Taute possibly slotting in at inside centre.

Larkham believes that if anything it will bolster the Stormers team.

“They are 2 hard ball running centres, it will give them a lot more punch,” Larkham explained.

“With De Jongh out they will be lacking a bit of skill and speed out-wide, but Taute and De Allende are Springbok centres.

“You don’t play for the Springboks in the centres if you are not a hard runner and hard tackler, so it will strengthen their side if anything.”

Larkham was envious when speaking of the Stormers’ pivots saying they are in a fortunate position of having diverse options in the flyhalf position.

Albeit not working in their favour last weekend as Kurt Coleman was hopeless with the boot.

“Catrakilis controls the game very well, he has a good pass and kicking game and is certainly willing in defence.

“Coleman brings the run to their game, has good feet and takes the line on. In the flyhalves that they have, they have good balance, and variation.

“I like the way that he (Allister Coetzee) has been using them both in a game and that’s probably the way forward. He is in a good position to be able to have 2 flyhalves at Super Rugby standard.”

If the Stormers want to continue a dual effort at flyhalf, Coleman will certainly have to address his goal kicking efforts, as according to Larkham, to be the best you have to have a points scoring machine as a kicker in your side.

“In Super Rugby the best teams in the competitions always have good goal kickers.”