//Getty Images
|
Preview: Stormers v Crusaders
Sportal.co.nz - (29/04/2010)
After 80 minutes of this clash in the lea of Table Mountain the Crusaders might have cause to regret their upset loss to the Force because the Stormers look favoured.
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 14 – Western Province/Stormers 3, Crusaders 10, drawn 1.
LAST TIME: March 28, 2009 (Christchurch) – Crusaders 11-7 Stormers.
LAST TIME AT VENUE: February 29, 2008 – Stormers 0-22 Crusaders.
MATCH ODDS: NZ TAB (Wednesday): Stormers $1.50, Crusaders $2.50.
WALKING WOUNDED: Stormers prop JC Kritzinger is still battling his leg injury and has been ruled out this week, with JD Moller getting the run-on position. Todd Blackadder has made three predictable and one slightly surprising change to his lineup this week. The predictable ones see three regulars return to the run-on XV, while the other sees hooker Corey Flynn returned directly to the starting team following a prolonged injury break.
FORM:
PAST FIVE Stormers:
Round 7: Bye
Round 8: Lost to Force 15-16
Round 9: Beat Blues 33-21
Round 10: Beat Chiefs 49-15
Round 11: Lost to Reds 13-16
PAST FIVE Crusaders:
Round 7: Bye
Round 8: Drew with Hurricanes 26-26
Round 9: Beat Waratahs 20-13
Round 10: Beat Cheetahs 45-6
Round 11: Lost to Force 16-24
In an odd twist, both these sides have lost to Australian teams and no others and both have gone down to both the Force and Reds. If anyone had tipped that at the beginning of the year they could have made a packet. The Stormers returned from their tour with a 2-2 record and a loss to the Reds as a leaving present. They battled hard but were eventually overcome by an excellent display from the home side that left no room for doubt. Unable to get their free-flowing game going, the Stormers could not roll over their opponent as they had done in the previous two weeks and they were beaten on their merits by another of Super 14's best sides. The Crusaders suffered a shock defeat at Perth, where a 13-0 halftime lead became a 16-24 defeat in a most unusual reversal as ball retention was a major failing. Normally the Crusaders bury teams after the break but it never looked like happening last Friday. There may have been questions about a couple of the Force tries – particularly the last – but the visitors were not the better team on the night. One wonders if the Crusaders are going to try and put the ball wide this week; in the last three tough matches it has been kept close to the forwards and that looks to have drawn their attacking sting, although the amount of ball spilled in the backline last week might encourage a tight approach again.
WHO'S HOT: The Stormers will want their two big guns, Andries Bekker and Schalk Burger, to maintain their recent form as they are key components of the home pack. If they're allowed to dominate they will do so and the team becomes very hard to stop. Jaque Fourie is a world-class centre but often under-rated by those outside the team, yet he could be one of the most important men on the field, especially if the Crusaders midfield is not at its absolute peak this week. Given half a chance, he could turn the game in a couple of plays. Richie McCaw plays his 100th Super rugby match this week and no doubt the team will want to turn in a decent performance. It will start up front, of course, where the change at hooker will be watched closely. Ti'i Paulo may have been relegated on the strength of a shonky lineout but throwing in not a great strength of Corey Flynn's game either, so he needs to be right on song from the first minute against the big Stormers jumpers. The quality of possession delivered to Daniel Carter will govern the influence he can exert; last week he didn't see enough good ball in the second spell to do anything significant as the Crusaders knuckled under.
WE THINK: With the top five so tight and these two sides having tough runs home, this match could well decide how the cards fall in three weeks. We think the Stormers, cheered on by a Newlands sellout, will be a bit too good and pick the home side by 5-10 points, but this is a must-see match and we expect points to be at a premium.
TEAMS:
Stormers: 1.JD Moller, 2.Tiaan Liebenberg, 3.Brok Harris, 4.Adriaan Fondse, 5.Andries Bekker, 6.Schalk Burger (captain), 7.Francois Louw, 8.Duane Vermeulen, 9.Dewaldt Duvenhage, 10.Peter Grant, 11.Bryan Habana, 12.Juan de Jongh, 13.Jaque Fourie, 14. Sireli Naqelevuki, 15. Gio Aplon.
Reserves: 16.Deon Fourie, 17.Eusebio Guinazu, 18. Anton Van Zyl, 19.Pieter Louw, 20.Ricky Januarie, 21.Willem de Waal, 22. Tim Whitehead.
Crusaders: 1. Wyatt Crockett, 2.Corey Flynn, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Brad Thorn, 5. Chris Jack, 6. George Whitelock, 7. Richie McCaw (captain), 8. Kieran Read, 9. Kahn Fotuali'i, 10. Daniel Carter, 11. Zac Guildford, 12.Ryan Crotty, 13. Robbie Fruean, 14. Sean Maitland, 15. Colin Slade.
Reserves: 16. Ti'i Paulo, 17. Ben Franks, 18. Sam Whitelock, 19. Thomas Waldrom, 20. Andy Ellis, 21. Daniel Bowden, 22. Jared Payne.
REFEREE: Stuart Dickinson
Pass It On
0