The Cape Town Stormers need at least one win in their next two local derbies to stay in contention for the United Rugby Championship playoffs. Their upcoming match against the Johannesburg Lions at Ellis Park is crucial for their campaign, as they aim to bounce back from two consecutive losses.
At least one win in the next two local derbies will keep the Stormer s within touching distance of the United Rugby Championship playoffs. Going all out at Ellis Park against the Lions tomorrow afternoon (2.30pm kickoff) is crucial for the Cape side as they aim to turn their fortunes around in the tournament off the back of two tough losses.Still in 10th place on the URC log, it’s far from over for the inaugural champions in the tournament.
But failing to get at least a single win when they face the Lions and Bulls (March 1) over the next few weeks could see their chances for a knockout spot dwindle. While revenge will be on the cards when they go to Loftus in March after a narrow 33-32 loss to the Pretoria side last weekend, the Ellis Park derby will present an entirely different challenge tomorrow.With the Jozi pride in the worst position of the four SA franchises on the log (13th), they’ll be eager to pick up more points. They will come out running against their visitors, and how the Capetonians handle that will be key to their survival.Apart from a couple of props in Neethling Fouché and Ali Vermaak who could boost the side when director of rugby John Dobson announces his team today, it should not look very different from the one that took things to the wire in Cape Town in the North-South Derby. That in itself could bring much-needed continuity in certain positions, which could just prove to be the inspiration that the Stormers need to gain winning momentum in Johannesburg. What also counts in their favour is that they’ve never lost against their hosts at Ellis Park in the URC. They’ve shown time and again that they will go to the darkest places to preserve their dominance on the domestic rugby scene.The same goes for utility back Clayton Blommetjies, who missed the crucial conversion at the death. And they must rely on their Stormers DNA and game-plan to attack the Lions from the outset, and not stray from it. If they rock up to Johannesburg showing any signs of vulnerability, the Lions will pounce on that and exploit it. And the hosts know how to hunt vulnerable prey. While Bulls No 8 Cameron Hanekom was a thorn in the flesh of the Stormers last weekend, tomorrow it could be Lions captain and eighthman Francke Horn, who is just as dynamic and tough with the ball under his arm, this time around when he faces star Cape loose forward Evan Roos. But unlike the forward-dominated showdown last week, it’s the battle with the Lions’ backline that could decide the outcome. There will still be plenty of fireworks in the scrums, mauls and at the breakdown, but running with the ball could be the key to unlocking defences. If you give fullback Quan Horn, centre Henco van Wyk, winger Edwill van der Merwe and scrumhalf Morné van den Berg any running metres to work with, your defence will be in trouble. So, the Cape side’s tackling on the highveld must also be up to standard to shut down those dangerous attackers. The Stormers will do well to remember the individual brilliance of Van der Merwe when he scored a beautiful solo try in Cape Town in December
STORMER LIONS URC DERBY SOUTH AFRICA
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