Stormers v Lions preview

Newlands, Cape Town, 17.00 (15.00 GMT)

If you knew very little about rugby, and you looked at these two opposing line-ups, and the weight of Springbok caps the home side has to their advantage, you would instantly call a win for the Stormers.

But for many the Stormers sum up what is wrong with South Africa. Big names who are not actually worth their salt when it comes to winning games.

The Lions only have three Springboks in their starting team; the Stormers have nine.

But it’s the Lions who have been by far the most exciting side to watch between the two – indeed it has only been the Lions out of all the South African teams who have shown traces of matchwinning flair.

Their flankers – Ernst Joubert and Cobus Grobelaar – could embarrass Schalk Burger and Luke Watson this weekend, whilst their tight five may just destroy the Stormers.

“There have been times where we have tried to play too expansively too early in the game,” Stormers skipper Luke Watson lamented earlier this week.

It is true that the Stormers have made silly mistakes in many of their losses, but they have not exactly displayed too much expansive rugby either.

If the Stormers are to win, then it is going to be up to players like Justin Melck and Peter Grant to get the necessary go-forward, while Jean de Villiers will probably be snooping around for a few intercepts.

Rather look to the Lions for the explosive rugby.

But then again, this is a South African derby, and old grudges are bound to fray a nerve or too.

Prediction: The Lions have played like lions, the likes of Cobus Grobelaar and Ernst Joubert must be included in the Springboks, and this Stormers side looks like it should be there for the taking. Lions to win by ten points or more.

Teams:

Stormers: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Breyton Paulse, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 De Wet Barry, 11 Corn’ Uys, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Bolla Conradie, 8 Justin Melck, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Luke Watson, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Gerrie Britz, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 JD Moller
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Ross Skeate, 19 Joe van Niekerk, 20 JP Joubert, 21 Naas Olivier, 22 Brent Russell

Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Doppies La Grange, 11 Jaco van Schalkwyk, 10 Andr’ Pretorius (c), 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Jacques Cronje, 7 Ernst Joubert, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Anton van Zyl, 4 Cobus Grobler, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Ethienne Reynecke, 1 Heinke van der Merwe
Replacements: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Bertus Smit, 18 Franco van der Merwe, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 Enrico Januarie, 21 Louis Strydom, 22 Wylie Human

Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Paul Honiss (New Zealand), Jonathan Kaplan
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Assessor: Arrie Schoonwinkel (South Africa)