No fireworks needed ... Stormers should back their current winning formula

While Stormers fans will be hoping to see some flair from their team in their second United Rugby Championship tour match against Zebre on Saturday, it may be wiser for the unbeaten log leaders to stick to the recipe that has worked so far.

In the absence of their playmaking stars — Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse, and Warrick Gelant — the Cape side adopted a more conservative approach at the start of the tournament. So far, it has paid off. Even with the return of Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Willemse for their first overseas match, they didn’t stray too far from that script.

Now that the duo has settled back into the side and is preparing for their second match at Parma’s Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (8.45pm kick-off), the temptation to run the ball more will certainly be there. But they must guard against it, knowing that the Springboks will soon depart again for the November Tests.

That’s why it will be important to stick with what’s been working to ensure they stay on the right path over the next two games in Italy. The Stormers will also face Benetton in Treviso next weekend as they conclude their first overseas trip.

Keeping things as it is, will allow the players who fill the vacancies left by the Bok duo to slot in seamlessly — without the pressure of having to emulate what the internationals bring to the side.

In their home victories over Leinster and the Ospreys, the Cape side also followed a more conservative blueprint that leaned heavily on their forwards.

The plan has worked, and it would be counterproductive for the Stormers to change it now, especially knowing they’ll have to manage without two of their main playmakers for the next few matches. Shifting away from that approach could also undo the progress the forwards have made, particularly with their rolling mauls and execution.

The scrums have always provided a solid attacking platform, but in recent seasons — with the focus on a more expansive attacking style — the lineout and maul tended to play second fiddle. This season, though, the Cape side has revived their thundering mauls, and they’ve been reaping the rewards in the early stages of the URC.

“We won’t move away from our DNA, because we know what our players can do,” assistant coach Dawie Snyman, who oversees the backline and attack, said this week.

“But we have been a bit more tactical. Our forwards are doing well by taking the legs out of the opposition. Then we have a bench that comes on and lifts the pace of the game. We’re playing quality teams and will have to grind things out to get a foothold and see where the (attacking) opportunities are.”