Cape Town — Who can make the game-changing difference for the Stormers and Bulls in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash at Cape Town Stadium (2pm kickoff)?
We took a closer look at four potentially decisive match-ups, two each in the forwards and backs…
Seabelo Senatla v Madosh Tambwe
How do you determine if a wing is successful? By how many tries he scores, or the overall impact he makes in a game?
Well, in Senatla and Tambwe, you have two superb speedsters who have both attributes in their armoury.
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Stormers No 14 Senatla is the joint-second leading try-scorer with eight (behind teammate Leolin Zas on nine), while it’s quite odd that Tambwe has dotted down only five times, considering his statistics across the park.
That is where the Bulls No 11 is well ahead of Senatla. Tambwe has the joint-most clean breaks (17) alongside teammate Kurt-Lee Arendse, with Senatla on 13.
The Bulls star is also joint-top on the metres gained list with 813, equal with Arendse, while Senatla is 16th with 494. Tambwe is joint-fifth in offloads with 19, and Senatla has 11 in 25th spot.
And so we can go on… But statistics is one thing. It’s all about what happens on Saturday, and it is sure to be a thrilling duel.
Manie Libbok v Chris Smith
Libbok has set the Stormers backline on fire with a mixture of pace and panache, which has seen the Cape side score some stunning tries.
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But the former SA Under-20 utility back is much more than just a playmaker. He has pulled off some remarkable tactical kicks and produced a few 50-22 touch-finders – and has a deadly goal-kicking boot as well, as he is the leading points-scorer with 116.
Smith is not as flashy, but is mightily effective too. He is a smooth operator who sets up play well in combination with hard-running centres Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe.
After the midfield and forwards have done the hard yards, Smith sprinkles his magic dust with accurate passes and pinpoint cross-kicks. He has scored 93 points as well, and is a solid defender too.
Who will come up with the match-winning play?
Evan Roos v Elrigh Louw
It is understood that both big men have not been called up to the Springbok alignment camp in Durban from this Sunday to Tuesday, so they have a serious point to prove to national coach Jacques Nienaber.
Not that they need to, actually. Roos and Louw have been outstanding for the Stormers and Bulls this season. They set the tone for their sides through their powerful ball-carries – either up the middle or out wide.
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Roos has slightly more pace, while Louw is probably more physical. The Bulls star, for all his Hulk-like presence, has shown that he does possess the necessary finesse in his game with a number of excellent offloads in the tackle to set up tries.
The Stormers No 8, though, is the athlete that operates superbly in the wider channels, and can play off his teammates or set them up himself as well.
Roos and Louw are good in the lineouts and solid in defence. The Stormers man has more experience in the position, though, so could that give him the edge?
Marvin Orie v Ruan Nortje
Stormers No 5 Orie is in the Springbok mix, but he will soon be challenged in that environment by the ever-present Nortje, who has been invited by Nienaber to the alignment camp.
The Bulls No 5 is a real workhorse who never stops going around the pitch. He makes a high number of tackles in most matches, but it is his willingness to be a ball-carrier as well that has taken his game to the next level.
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Of course, his main skill is jumping and organising the Bulls lineout, and he has been excellent in that regard as well.
Orie is an old-style lineout specialist, and he handled that responsibility well for the Boks during the Rugby Championship in Australia last year too.
But he will have to increase his output in the tight-loose to neutralise Nortje’s effect on proceedings.