'We would really like to score four tries'

THE Stormers head to Durban for what has become a vital derby match against the Sharks on Saturday night still searching for an elusive bonus point try after another win against the Waratahs at the weekend.

The Stormers sit on top of the standings with 49 points after 10 wins from their 11 matches and have done more than any fan or critic could reasonably expect.

Their 19-13 win over the Waratahs, in difficult second-half conditions, was another triumph for their smothering game-plan and it was also another example of how highly they value winning over aesthetic enjoyment.

They've made it to the summit of the standings while cursed with a bad run of loose forward injuries at the same time as they've been blooding a handful of inexperienced players in this tough competition.

Yet they've not compromised on the tenets of great defence, fitness, situational understanding and commitment to each other.

Even so, coach Allister Coetzee shares the fans' frustration with their lack of tries.

Any sane rugby person would take an ugly, tryless win over a flamboyant victory packed with tries. However, in this competition, where unfair weight is placed on bonus points, the reality is that a lack of tries could cost the Stormers a place or two in the final standings.

It could be the difference between a home semifinal or final, which is why Coetzee acknowledged that winning is simply not enough.

"We're happy to keep the winning momentum but I would also note that we would really like to score four tries sometime soon," the coach said.

"We want to attack more when conditions allow and we won't stop looking at ways to do that. You've got to adapt every week and have a new plan, which is the task we set ourselves," Coetzee said.