Stormers visit sets up Highveld cracker

Much may have changed since last May, but the Stormers are not likely to forget that it was the Cats who stopped them finishing top of the Super 12 log when they beat them 18-16 at Newlands.

So apart from all the new factors in the ongoing north-south rivalry, Saturday evening's Ellis Park clash has the makings of another explosive cracker.

On the eve of their departure for their four matches Down Under, the Cats know the value of a victory - "a bonus point would be just that, we are seeking the win first," explains coach Laurie Mains - which would lift the confidence of the squad.

Equally an unchanged Stormers, in ebullient mood after their satisfactory win over the tough NSW Waratahs, who have lock John Welborn available to play against the Bulls at Loftus tomorrow after being cleared on two trampling charges at a mid-week citing hearing, will be targetting another four points.

Stormers' coach Alan Solomons expects a tough battle, especially up front where the Cats' pack will be hard to contain.

Mains said on Thursday that the Cats have been working on a new game plan for improving techniques at tackle breakdowns and in subsequent ruck and maul play and the success or not of this facet of play, could determine whether or not they leave for overseas for the first time with a 100 per cent record.

There are so many quality individuals in the respective starting lineups and on the benches that the impact of one or two at a vital stage could prove decisive. For the Stormers, look to Percy Montgomery and Breyton Paulse to supply the devastating runs if given space and time while their team-mates closer to the heart of the action both among the inside backs like playmaker, Brendan Venter, and the loose forwards, led by the untiring Corne Krige, provide the vital build-up cohesion.

For the Cats, Hennie le Roux's flyhalf role cannot be over-emphasised, until the time comes for Louis Koen to have a crack at some stage in the second half. A glance at the talent outside Le Roux shows that the home squad need not stand back for flair and pace with Chester Williams, Thinus Delport, Japie Mulder and Grant Esterhuizen to start and Jannie van der Walt waiting among the replacements to repeat his heroics of last week when Delport limped off with a bruised hip.

But inevitably the sheer intensity of Super 12 demands that the hard men up front will probably be crucial in determining the outcome and Ellis Park will be no place for the meek and mild. Stamina demands a good engine from all the forwards and the use of three pack replacements is now almost obligatory because even the big fellows are expected to run all day and chase everything.

Neutrals might argue that the Stormers' all-Springbok front row of Cobus Visagie, Charl Marais and Robbie Kempson backed up by Toks van der Linde will ensure a scrummaging superiority for the visitors but against that the combination of Willie Meyer, Leon Boshoff and Marius Mostert were untroubled by the best during the domestic double last season and more than stood their ground against the Bulls last week.

Since the scrum law changes, fears of greater disruption because of deliberate opposition wheels to spoil vital put-ins, have not really happened and Mains admits to being delighted that has been the case. Moves off a scrum base, coupled with lineout variations, will be at the heart of initial attempts to break down defensive patterns.

Thereafter ball retention and fewer mistakes when play fans wide seems the best prescription for victory. Mains expects a big improvment from last week in terms of recycling and less errors but he says the same applies to the Stormers.

If this clash it too close to call - a slight edge to the Cats maybe, because of home ground advantage - the Bulls simply have to beat the Waratahs at Loftus if their Super 12 is not to fall apart before it has hardly begun.

Coach Heyneke Meyer has received a tough welcome to the competition and the Bulls' injury jinx has shown no signs of letting up. The loss of Ruben Kruger is particularly damaging and one imagines that pace and inventiveness among the loose forward trio, in which exile Springbok, Tiaan Strauss, is a kingpin for his adopted Waratahs, will provide acute problems for the Bulls.

The fixture was originally allocated to Witbank, home of the Pumas, but hopefully for the Pretoria faithful, Loftus will prove even more inhospitable during the 80 minutes for the Australians. A side as talented as the Waratahs will be hard to beat whatever the venue.

Teams

Cats - Kobus Engelbrecht, Chester Williams, Japie Mulder, Grant Esterhuizen, Thinus Delport; Hennie le Roux, Werner Swanepoel; Andre Vos (c), Andre Venter, Piet Krause, Victor Matfield, Jannes Labuschagne, Willie Meyer, Leon Boshoff, Marius Mostert. Bench: Jannie van der Walt, Louis Koen, Jimmy Powell, Torros Pretorius, Johan Ackermann, Pierre Ribbens, Delarey du Preez.

Stormers - Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, Robbie Fleck, Brendan Venter, Pieter Rossouw; Braam van Straaten, Dave van Hoesslin; Tokkie Kasselman, Hendrik Gerber, Corne Krige (c), Selborne Boome, Hottie Louw, Cobus Visagie, Charl Marais, Robbie Kempson. Bench: Robert Markram, Wayne Julies, Dan van Zyl, Chean Roux, Wayne Boardman, Toks van der Linde, Johan van Wyk.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (Nat).

TV live on M-Net open time and Super Sport at 5.10pm. Tickets still available at Ellis Park - adults R60, children free, behind goalposts.