Stormers wing on cross-kick heroics: 'We work a lot on handling the aerial battle'

• Stormers wing Edwill van der Merwe says they've worked hard on their "cross-kicks, contestables and handling the aerial battle".
• It paid off during last Saturday's 39-37 win over the Lions at Ellis Park.
• Van der Merwe adds that the last-gasp win has given them a psychological boost ahead of facing the Sharks at Kings Park.

Stormers speedster Edwill van der Merwe says the team's outside backs have worked hard on their aerial skills.

Van der Merwe was a standout in the Stormers' last-gasp 39-37 PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA win over the Lions in Johannesburg at the weekend.

He scored a brilliant solo try from his own half and also helped set up the crucial late try by centre Dan du Plessis.

In both scenarios, the Stormers' aerial skills were on display - firstly, fullback Damian Willemse won a high ball before a brilliant off-load to Van der Merwe saw the winger race in to score from inside his own half.

Then late in the game, Van der Merwe caught replacement flyhalf Tim Swiel's cross-kick, before offloading to replacement flank Johan du Toit, who put Du Plessis away for a try under the posts.

"We've worked a lot on it in our split sessions, working on cross-kicks and grubbers and stuff like that... so it's good to see it coming off in a game," Van der Merwe told reporters on Tuesday.

"We as outside backs and flyhalves and fullbacks... we work a lot on our cross-kicks and contestables and handling the aerial battle. It's nice when it comes into play in a match and you can actually score off that."

The 25-year-old added that he was happy to contribute to the team.

"I've worked a lot on my skills, trying to beat defenders one on one. I'm still trying to fight for a starting position in this team, so just giving it everything when it comes my way."

The former Maties star, who holds the all-time Varsity Cup record with 23 tries in 37 games, said their win over the Lions was a psychological boost after losing two close home games against the Sharks (33-30) and Bulls (20-16).

"It was tough losing the last two games in the last moments of the game, so it was definitely a boost for us to win. But we know this weekend is going to be a tough game as well and we'll have to execute when we get our opportunities to play well."

The Sharks are lying in wait in Durban this Saturday and they'll be smarting after a 43-9 hammering at the hands of the Bulls in Pretoria.

Van der Merwe, though, said he didn't expect the defeat at Loftus Versfeld to have rattled the Sharks.

"We're not really reading anything into it. As a squad we're just focusing on ourselves. We said we want to go four from four in our last four games, so we're just looking to go out this weekend and put in a good performance and execute when we get the opportunity."

Saturday's clash at Kings Park scheduled for 13:00.

Teams:

Sharks

TBA

Stormers

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain)

Substitutes (from): 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Adre Smith, 21 Juarno Augustus, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Tim Swiel, 24 Marcel Theunissen, 25 Dan du Plessis