Cape Town – The big one is here!
What a road it’s been for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship so far. Today, they have a chance to impress even more against log-leading Leinster in a top of the table clash at Cape Town Stadium.
John Dobson’s guys have worked themselves up to second spot on the log, and the Stormers mentor said complacency hasn’t even crossed their minds.
The fact that Leinster will go into this bout with a rather young team changes nothing. Speaking to the media this week, assistant coach Dawie Snyman said that they would have to prepare every aspect well. Here are three areas that could be crucial today.
The halfback battle
As far as Stormers flyhalf Manie Libbok is concerned, all his team would be hoping for from him is more of the same.
At scrumhalf, Herschel Jantjies has the perfect opportunity to get back to his best when he goes up against rookie Cormac Foley, with the 22-yearold making his first start for Leinster in only his fourth appearance for the Irish giants.
ALSO READ: Five factors that turned the Stormers’ fortunes in the United Rugby Championship
Jantjies has shown in the past that he can perform when it matters and there is no better time to go from hot and cold to simply sizzling. Scrummaging superiority
The Stormers will be without injured hooker Scarra Ntubeni, but there is no reason why their scrum shouldn’t be at its devastating best today.
With Bok props Frans Malherbe
and Steven Kitshoff in the front row, their set-piece dominance can lay the groundwork for their attack.
Sticking to what’s worked on attack
Given what the Stormers coaching staff have been saying, we have good reason to believe that the hosts won’t stray from what has been a key ingredient in their success until now.
ALSO READ: The Stormers aren’t expecting an ‘easy ride’ when the two packs collide against Leinster, says John Dobson
The outside backs have been on fire, while the men in midfield have been no less impressive. While the team have been dangerous as a unit with ball in hand, we might just be lucky enough to see a moment (or two) of brilliance get the Faithful on the edge of their seats again.
STORMERS TEAM: 15 Warrick Gelant 14 Seabelo Senatla 13 Ruhan Nel 12 Damian Willemse 11 Leolin Zas 10 Manie Libbok 9 Herschel Jantjies 8 Evan Roos 7 Hacjivah Dayimani 6 Deon Fourie 5 Marvin Orie 4 Adre Smith 3 Frans Malherbe 2 JJ Kotze 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
BENCH: 16 Wilmar Arnoldi 17 Brok Harris 18 Neethling Fouché 19 Salmaan Moerat 20 Junior Pokomela 21 Ben-Jason Dixon 22 Paul de Wet 23 Juan de Jongh.
LEINSTER TEAM: 15 Max O’Reilly 14 Adam Byrne 13 Jamie Osborne 12 Rory O’Loughlin 11 Rob Russell 10 Ciaran Frawley 9 Cormac Foley 8 Rhys Ruddock (captain) 7 Scott Penny 6 Alex Soroka 5 Josh Murphy 4 Brian Deeny 3 Thomas Clarkson 2 John McKee, 1 Ed Byrne.
BENCH: 16 Lee Barron 17 Michael Milne
18 Vakh Abdaladze 19 Jack Dunne 20 Sean O’Brien 21 Nick McCarthy 22 Harry Byrne 23 Martin Moloney.
@WynonaLouw
