Stormers vs Hurricanes Preview:

This will most likely be the game be the game of round one. These two teams are stacked for of experience and talent. If the players on the team sheet all play to their full potential then this would be some heck of a game with the Stormers’s huge pack full of springboks to the Huricanes’s dangerous backline full of All Blacks. Although the Stormers have two of the fastest wingers in the game I believe they will try and play a forward dominated game with 5 out of the 8 starting regular Springboks. The Canes will most likely try and get their huge inside center Laumape into the game as much as possible, and if he can get them on the front foot look for players like Jordie Barrett to run the ball and play some free flowing rugby.

Key Mach ups:

Damian Willemse vs Jordie Barrett: These two is integral parts of the backlines. Willemse will want to put his name up to contest with Polard for the number 10 spot in the Green and Gold, while Jordie will want to do the same in the 15 for the All Blacks. Jordie is this year for the first time playing without Beauden and he will be able to handle it. The only thing is he will have to step up into the teams lead play maker role and he might not be such a free flowing player if he has to run the orchestra.

Herschel Jantjies vs TJ Perenara: Although TJ has more experience, but Herschel is the most exciting kid on the block. After his burst onto the scene last year he has done nothing but impress. With his quick delivery of the ball to his jinking runs and snipes around the ruck he is one of the most dangerous players in super rugby. Tj on the other hand has all the same attributes just with a bit more experience. It would be interesting to see who comes up trumps the experienced All-Black or the young but lively Springbok.

Stormers Forwards vs Hurricanes Forwards: Yes I could not pick out just one player of each pack. The Canes has had a few thought seasons in their pack although they have a few great players they don’t have a complete pack of forwards. The Stormers on the other hand have one of the best packs in the comp with most of them being part of the Springboks world cup winning side. If they have a good day and run over the pack of the Canes I don’t think the Canes can win the game.

Teams:

Stormers:

Starting XV: 1 Steven Kitshoff, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3 Frans Malherbe, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 5 Chris van Zyl, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 7 Pieter-Stephdu Toit, 8 Siya Kolisi, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 10 Damian Willemse, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 12 Jamie Roberts, 13 Ruhan Nel, 14 Sergal Petersen, 15 Dillyn Leyds.

Bench: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Ernst van Rhyn, 21 Johan du Toit, 22 Golden Masimla, 23 Rikus Pretorius.

Hurricanes:

Starting XV: 1 Fraser Armstrong, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 James Blackwell, 5 Scott Scrafton, 6 Reed Prinsep, 7 Du’Plesis Kirifi, 8 Gareth Evans, 9 TJ Perenara, 10 Fletcher Smith, 11 Ben Lam, 12 Ngani Laumape, 13 Billy Proctor, 14 Wes Goosen, 15 Jordie Barrett.

Bench: 16 Asafo Auma, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Devan Flanders, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Vince Aso.

Prediction:

I Believe that if the Stormers pack dominates the the set plays it would be enough to get them over the line.