Sbu Nkosi (L) of Sharks celebrates after scoring a try with teammates Jacques Vermeulen (R) and Lukhanyo Am during the Super Rugby match between Sunwolves and Sharks at Singapore National Stadium on February 16, 2019 in Singapore. (Photo by Lionel Ng/Getty Images)
A few years back, a trip to Newlands was considered a potentially painful experience for the Lions given their dodgy record there.
But that has changed in recent seasons, coinciding with the men from Ellis Park’s yearly surge up the Super Rugby log.
Against a wounded Stormers, they’ll certainly fancy their charges.
Meanwhile, the Sharks will relish their meeting with the Blues at home, especially given that they’ve won 11 of the last 12 matches between the sides and the Bulls travel to Argentina hoping to capitalise on their neighbours’ historic win over the Jaguares last weekend.
Here are four talking points for this weekend’s action.
Can the Lions’ “midgets” front up to the Stormers’ giants (relatively speaking)?
Kwagga Smith of Lions during the during the Super Rugby, #SuperHeroSunday match between Emirates Lions and Cell C Sharks at Cape Town Stadium on February 03, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images)
Two prominent former Bok coaches, Jake White and Heyneke Meyer, never made a secret of the fact that they prefer bigger players.
White in particular was always very vocal on the matter, arguing that if a big and a smaller player were equally skillful, why wouldn’t you prefer the bigger guy?
On Saturday, Kwagga Smith (1.82m, 93kg) and Marnus Schoeman (1.78m, 96kg) will directly compete against Siya Kolisi (1.88m, 105kg) and Pieter-Steph du Toit (2m, 120kg).
As coach Swys de Bruin points out, it’s a tactic the Lions have employed previously and their hoping to exploit the breakdowns.
By all accounts those two pocket rockets will be first two any ruck, but what happens in the collisions?
Can they still provide momentum and create space, or will the brute (but intelligent) force of the Stormers’ Bok duo be decisive?
National interest shown in Willemse switch
Damian Willemse of the DHL Stormers during the Super Rugby match between Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on February 16, 2019 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)
Regardless of the position one feels is best for Damian Willemse, the fact remains that Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has stated that the 20-year-old prodigy’s immediate future at international level lies at fullback.
With the World Cup looming, it’s probably no use shifting him unduly between positions, especially in ones where he’s not going to get picked at national level.
In terms of this weekend’s clash, it might also become the type of open game that complements his attacking potential.
“Playing at fullback means he gets to see things differently and he probably has a bit more time and space to do the magic that he has got. It allows him a bit of freedom,” Stormers coach Robbie Fleck said.
“He’s still learning that with modern day line speed, time and space is taken away. As a young kid it is important that he gets as much game time as possible.”
Sharks need to channel their one peculiar strength
Robert du Preez’s troops beat three of the five Kiwi outfits last season and missed out by one point in claiming a fourth, the Hurricanes.
To put that into perspective, runners-up the Lions didn’t manage a single victory over any of them.
It’s that ability that will give the Durbanites high hopes of continuing a promising start to 2019 against the Blues at Kings Park.
Yet skipper Louis Schreuder insists he and his teammates don’t merely reserve their best for the New Zealanders.
“I don’t think we’ve previously had specific plans in place just for the Kiwi teams,” said the one-cap Springbok scrumhalf.
“You have to bring it to all the teams. But we certainly performed well against the New Zealand teams. It’s probably more of a mental thing than anything else because they are strong outfits across all their teams. You have to be up for it.”
It’s a reasonably simple recipe for the Bulls
Bongi Mbonambi of the DHL Stormers and Handre Pollard of the Vodacom Bulls during the Super Rugby match between Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers at Loftus Versfeld on February 16, 2019 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images)
Pote Human is correct when he says his troops played the right game against the Stormers last week.
It was practical, varied and well executed.
Damp conditions are expected in Buenos Aires, meaning the Bulls would be well served adopting a similar approach.
However, one thing that’s going to be even more important is starting well.
It might be a cliche, but it’s a crucial thing to get right in Argentina.
“You’ve got to silence the crowd early. If the supporters start becoming passionate, it really influences the Jaguares positively and they come right at you with all they have,” said Human.
“It happened to us last year after halftime, where they gained momentum and played us off the park.”
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