This weekend’s big one takes place in Cape Town, with the reigning SA Conference champs taking on the mighty seven-time champions.
Both teams have lost personnel ahead of this clash – the big question will be, which side can roll with the punches, adjust better and keep on winning?
Kick-off is at 19h10.
Stormers: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Gerhard van den Heever, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Pat Cilliers.
Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Don Armand, 19 Nizaam Carr, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Damian de Allende, 22 Jaco Taute.
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Tom Marshall, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Johnny McNicholl, 10 Tyler Bleyendaal, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Luke Whitelock, 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock (captain), 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Joe Moody, 18 Dominic Bird, 19 Jordan Taufua, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Adam Whitelock, 22 Zac Guildford.
Tweet
May the best side win. 😈
May that team be the Stormers.
6-6 tie please! No Bonus points, just 2 points on the log for each. That would be best 😉
Question.
When the refs say “Use it once” at a maul, how exactly could one use it twice?
At least the Cape Crusaders will be silenced for a while
Fourie so far the Crusaders’ best player. 👿
Another ref hogging the spotlight.
Seen enough.
@McLovin (Comment 7) : How’s the heart old boy?
Tough luck Stormers.
Well done Crusaders.
Better team won.
There’s always next year. 🙁
Final Score: Saders 19 Stormers 14. Stormers very poor tactically. Lineouts were very bad. Sader young 10 seems to be a chip off the Dan Carter block…..
Ok now only need Tahs to win for all 7 on SB. Go Tahs!!!!
And the sharks top the SA log without having picked up a ball 😛
This bye thing is bonkers but we’ll take first place…
@Just a Fan (Comment 11) : Stormers missing Peter Grant and let the Greek go too easily. Surprised they didn’t fight harder to keep Katrakellis.
Hope our boys were watching and know that they need to deliver a top notch performance.
@klempie (Comment 4) : It’s the new 5-second rule. They give you 2 warnings before blowing the whistle for delaying the game. “Use it once, use it twice” and the third time, you turn the ball over.
@TRF_Ezequiel (Comment 16) : I understand the rule. What I don’t understand is the language used to communicate. Something like “5 seconds, 10 seconds”. By “use it” they clearly mean get the ball out the maul and play. Using it twice would imply that you get the ball out of the maul, put it back in the maul, take it out again, and then play. It just sounds daft.
@klempie (Comment 17) : Something like “5 seconds, 10 seconds” would make more sense.
Sharks will need their A-game to beat the Saders. Pack needs to step up.
@klempie (Comment 18) :
What is daft, is the idea that a referee can accurately count down 5-seconds in his head, whilst paying attention to all the other goings on.
What they need is a nice big play-clock at both ends of the field. When the referee shouts use-it, the clock starts at 5 and if you let it go to zero, you lose the ball.
Ja boet some 5 seconds does feel longer than others but don’t think a game clock will work, maybe one of the others can count for him on their radio.