Hot steppers Libbok, Willemse and Gelant are Stormers' bona fide 'game drivers'

Stormers coach John Dobson has made no secret of the kind of rugby the Stormers will play, and their United Rugby Championship clash against Cardiff will be no different.

He explained it as a "high-tempo" game which was in line with "the rugby of this region".

The effort to get this going is by relying on a pack that can stand its ground against opposition, give as good as it gets in the trenches and then unleash the exciting backline that includes Springboks Damian Willemse and Warrick Gelant.

The two exchanged positions earlier this season as Dobson mulled his options before deploying Willemse to 12 and Gelant to 15.

Someone who has been assured in that backline regardless of who plays where is Manie Libbok, who joined the Stormers towards the end of last year. Since the turn of the year, he's looked sharp and shrewd, operating with the confidence that makes it hard to leave him out of your team.

"They are our game drivers," Dobson enthused of his three players.

"Manie's gotten better and better. His whole career, he's [played] fullback, flyhalf. Then he's been left out [of teams] then brought back, but he's settling in now.

"He and Warrick get along very well and Damian is always a game driver."

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To add to their growing bromance, Dobson said he's been pleased by the conversations the trio have off the field.

"Manie doesn't sit in the cafeteria and talk about his golf game like Kitsie [Steven Kitshoff]," Dobson said, eliciting laughter in the room, "he talks about the backfield and how to manipulate the 50/22."

And while the focus does tend to shift to the eclectic backline stars, the team is also taking great strides in setting