Having beaten the kings of the jungle, the Lions, 19-17 at Newlands last weekend, the Stormers know they will have to fend off a different sort of attack when they travel to the Shark Tank on Saturday.
Awaiting them in Durban is the only unbeaten team in the South African Super Rugby Conference after two rounds - the Sharks.
And breakdown specialist John Dobson, who is also the head coach of the Western Province Currie Cup team, knows they will have to be at their best if they want to down coach Robert du Preez’s charges.
The last time the Stormers hit the road in the competition, they were thrashed (40-3) by the Bulls.
They then had a point to prove against the Lions at home last weekend and ticked that box, but if they want to put an end to their struggles on the road, they have to up their game even more.
WARNING: John Dobson. PHOTO: CHRIS RICCO/BACKPAGEPIX.
Dobson knows this and says of the Sharks: “There are similarities [between how the Sharks and the Lions play].
“The big difference for us would be how they are more of a gainline team than the Lions.
“When they get that offloading game [going], it’s perhaps more of a gainline battle.
“It’s a bit more direct what they really have developed well is their kicking game.
CLOSE: Stormers celebrated narrow win over Lions. PHOTO: SUPPLIED.
“I think Rob [du Preez], Louis [Schreuder] and Curwin [Bosch] are all kicking the ball very accurately.”
To counter this, the Stormers will look to up the tempo of their game.
Dobson adds: “It’s certainly a game we want to play with tempo...
“There are probably more positives from Saturday [against the Lions] when we watched it again.
GOOD NEWS: Dillyn Leyds of the Stormers returns. PHOTO: GAVIN BARKER/BACKPAGEPIX.
“One of the things was towards the end, we were pushing the tempo quite nicely.”
The Stormers will also be boosted by the return to fitness of fullback Dillyn Leyds, who missed the Lions match, while No.8 Juarno Augustus has also returned to training this week.