The concept of three doesn’t go into two is something that the Stormers may have learnt about their locks in Paris last weekend.
And it is something that coach John Dobson will have to address in selecting his side for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship blockbuster against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (7pm kick-off).
Despite leaving some first-choice players on the bench or in the stands – while also missing a whole host of injured stars – the Capetonians were within two points of Racing 92 in their Champions Cup duel with about 15 minutes to go at the La Defense Arena.
Flank Marcel Theunissen’s 64th-minute try reduced the deficit to 24-22, but flyhalf Jurie Matthee missed the conversion and a subsequent penalty that would have put the visitors into the lead. Instead, Racing held on and then pounced in the closing stages as Boris Palu scored the winning touchdown with four minutes left.
But many of the Stormers’ wasted attacking opportunities was due to an inefficient line-out, where a number of their throw-ins were either pinched or tapped back onto Racing’s side.
Flank Maxime Baudonne, with his blue scrumcap, was an absolute menace for the Capetonians in the set-piece as he timed his contests to perfection to disrupt Stormers No 5 Ruben van Heerden in particular.
Van Heerden was chosen as the line-out organiser ahead of JD Schickerling, who came off the bench in the 56th minute, while captain Salmaan Moerat was at No 4 lock for the full 80 minutes.
Should there be a change in the second row against the streetwise Leinster?
Even though they may be missing Irish Test duo Joe McCarthy and James Ryan – due to Six Nations preparations – they will have the gigantic presence of Springbok World Cup winner RG Snyman to try to spoil the Stormers’ set-piece.
There could also be a case to start Schickerling and Van Heerden as a lock pair against the mobile Leinster pack, and bring on Moerat for the last 30 minutes.
In addition, the Stormers are sweating on the fitness of hooker Joseph Dweba (shoulder), No 8 Evan Roos (cheekbone) and wing Suleiman Hartzenberg (hand) – although forwards coach Rito Hlungwani said yesterday that fullback Warrick Gelant (calf) is fit again.
“We are the first to admit that we were not good enough in the lineouts. Racing had done their prep really well, and gave us a few pictures that we hadn’t seen,” the former WP lock said.
“We didn’t adapt as well as we meant to. But we have moved on from it and learnt from it, and we don’t want to make the same mistakes again.
“We played against a very good contesting team, and it had nothing to do with the personnel that we had selected.
“If you look at our stats previously, we are probably still top three in terms of lineout success in the URC.
“We’ve learnt from it, and keep looking for that improvement. It’s a very tough selection, and we will challenge them to say that whoever plays best, will get an opportunity.”
Hlungwani felt that the Racing defeat hadn’t dented the 10th-placed Stormers’ confidence from recent victories over the Lions, Sharks and Sale, and that they had the ability to cause an upset and end Leinster’s 13-match unbeaten run across the URC and Champions Cup this season.
“It would mean a lot (to beat Leinster in Dublin). They have a very good team and haven’t lost this season,” he said.
“They’ve got a few boys coming back from injury – internationals (such as Dan Sheehan and James Lowe), and will have quite a few internationals, like the French prop (Rabah Slimani) and a few others have stayed before they join the (Irish) squad.
“But we are coming in here to this game giving us the best opportunity to win.
“As much as they are a tough team, we are not fearful of the battle – or the mountain, as you said – that awaits us.”
Meanwhile, the Stormers announced yesterday that popular tighthead prop Neethling Fouché has signed a three-year contract extension.