The Stormers scrum largely overpowered the impressive Sharks pack in their URC coastal derby over the weekend.
The Stormers maul powers through the Sharks during their URC coastal derby at the Cape Town Stadium over the weekend. Picture: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images
A dominant performance from the Stormers pack laid the foundation for their 39-22 United Rugby Championship (URC) coastal derby win over the Sharks in Cape Town over the weekend.
The anticipated scrum battle was highlighted as a key focus point, with an all Springbok front row of Ntuthuko Mchunu, Andre-Hugo Venter and Wilco Louw lining up for the Stormers, while the Sharks had powerhouse Ox Nche, rising talent Eduan Swart, and the dependable Thomas du Toit on their side.
Surprisingly, it was the Stormers who largely dominated what should have been a more even scrum battle, earning most of the penalties, though the Sharks earned a couple themselves, while the hosts also scored a pushover try, by eighthman Hacjivah Dayimani.
So easy
“I didn’t think we would get it (scrum dominance) so easy so quickly, that is the truth. I know we gave a couple of penalties away where they got dominance on us in the one scrum in the first half, but the call in the second forty was a tight one,” said Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson after the match.
“But if you look at the personnel (of the Sharks), it’s a nice reminder that rugby is a collective effort the way our back-five brought it. The one time they got us on the scrum was when we were a bit relaxed and Hacjivah didn’t engage on the right.
“The other time was when they called (replacement prop) Vernon (Matongo) for stepping out. That is one of my frustrations with that call, because if a tighthead goes in, it looks like the hooker is walking around and you don’t know which one it is first. But the ref will always go for the loosehead stepping out.
“However, I did not expect us to get about five or six penalties and a pushover try against that. But well done to Brokkie (scrum coach Brok Harris) and the forwards.”
Injury cost
The Sharks will have to lick their wounds and count the injury cost after losing Bok enforcer Eben Etzebeth and rising flyhalf talent Vusi Moyo to first half injuries, which coach JP Pietersen admitted, along with their discipline, played a part in their struggles.
“Vusi has a dislocated shoulder, and he tried to fight it off. Eben, it looks like a knee or upper leg. I’m not a doctor, but he couldn’t run, so we needed to make a replacement,” explained Pietersen.
“When we lost Vusi and Eben, the score was still 8-8 and in the balance. We had a scrum penalty against us on our ball. We got two yellow cards also in the first half, so it put us under massive pressure.
“Losing momentum with two key guys … a No 10, obviously, and Eben with the forwards, while defending with 13 men is always going to be a tough ask.”
