Despite head coach Rassie Erasmus holding his hands up for last weekend's defeat to the Blues, Stormers skipper de Villiers believes that the coaching staff are doing all they can and that it is up to the players to start producing the goods on the field.
"I must disagree with Rassie - they (the coaches) can't teach us to catch and pass. The players must take responsibility there," De Villiers told SARugby.com.
"We did create opportunities but, in the end, you have to catch the ball and use those opportunities that arise.
"We just couldn't catch the ball against the Blues. If you go through the team, I think each guy must have dropped the ball at least once in the game and you can't win games like that.
"The coaching staff can't do anything more. We have got fantastic coaches and the effort they put in off-field is great and maybe it's time the players stand up and be counted.
"We have a helluva lot of Springboks in this team and are underperforming. Maybe we should stop performing as individuals and more as a team."
De Villiers, one of the most consistent Springbok performers in recent seasons, is expected to play a huge part in his country's attempts to crush the Lions this summer but his immediate focus is on nothing other than the Stormers' clash with fellow South African franchise the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.
"We believe we have a team that can still be successful. There are no more expecatations, there is only pressure you put on yourself and it is the good players that can perform under pressure," added de Villiers.
"We just have to perform now and stop making excuses. This team has shown it doesn't matter where we play we can perform.
"We can only stay positive now and one win changes it again."
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