Brendan Venter says Kiwi skills coach Paul Feeney has made a telling contribution at the Stormers.

The Cape franchise has won all six of its matches this season and scored 32 tries, the second most in the competition (the Hurricanes have 44). According to AllOutRugby Stats, they have also made the second most running metres (5,286), with only the Blues (5,445) having made more.

Last Saturday, they scored four tries in their 34-26 win against the Chiefs, who they lost to 60-21 in last year’s quarter-final at Newlands.

The Stormers recruited Feeney, the former Blues skills coach, at the end of last year.

‘Feeney has made a telling contribution and has assisted the players in honing their skills and recycling the ball quicker,’ Venter wrote in his column for The Times in South Africa.

‘Along with [head coach Robbie] Fleck, he has instilled a belief within the group that they possess the requisite skills to back themselves on attack. The stunning no-look, seated offload Dillyn Leyds threw to SP Marais – which resulted in a wonderful try – serves as a case in point.

‘For my money, the Stormers have always boasted skilful players, but now the difference is that they believe in their attacking abilities.’

Photo: Ziyaad Douglas/Gallo Images