United Rugby Championship: Stormers vs Bulls – Key Battles

Joseph Dweba vs Johan Grobbelaar

It’s probably fair to assume that this one is personal for Dweba. The Stormers hooker has fallen out of favour with the Springboks and Grobbelaar is the man who’s taken his place.

A tank of a man, Dweba would likely steamroll his Bulls rival in a one-on-one situation, such is his size and strength, but of course, rugby is more than physical dominance alone.

The 29-year-old’s lineout throwing has always been his weakness and while he’s been working hard on that all-important part of his game, he’s still not what you would call dependable.

Grobbelaar has zero issues when it comes to finding his jumpers and operates like a fourth loose forward in open play, covering acres of space, consistently hitting double digits in the tackle stats and seizing turnovers.  

Deon Fourie vs Marcell Coetzee

Evergreen veterans meet again in an intriguing clash of styles.

With his brilliance at the breakdown, Fourie could be the Stormers’ trump card. A player who’s aged like fine wine, “Brannas” has a world-class level of understanding of when to contest turnovers and his timing and technique are terrific. He’s also a born competitor who scratches and claws for every inch, making him an inspirational figure.

Coetzee is the ultimate professional. “Mr. Consistency” always delivers and does so passionately and selflessly. Bullish to the bone, he believes there’s no substitute for hard work and has a significant power advantage over Fourie. He’ll bank on his veteran smarts to shadow Fourie at the breakdown and superior strength to smash away at the Capetonians’ defense.

Evan Roos vs Cameron Hanekom

The blockbuster of all blockbusters!

The two best eighthmen and most dynamic players in the country will collide in a clash the ripple effects of which will be felt on Table Mountain.

These are two next-generation superstars who’ve already run out for the Boks and are set to battle it out for the Green and Gold No. 8 jersey for years to come.

Roos is arguably a tad more explosive. His first-step explosion is at peak NFL level and his pace is prolific for a back-rower. He also plays with a bit more mongrel but has lost his cool on several occasions to the detriment of his team.

Hanekom has it all – power, pace, poise and ball skills for days. Like Roos, he wins most collisions he’s involved in and has a seemingly endless gas tank but what sets him apart is his controlled aggression, pilfering prowess and offloading ability.

Jurie Matthee vs Boeta Chamberlain

Can Matthee unearth some offensive initiative for the hosts in the injury-enforced absence of Manie Libbok?

Libbok is key to the Stormers’ rhythm and potency. Without him, they’ve been as sharp as a butter knife, and as much as Warrick Gelant can sprinkle some magic, the Stormers need a steady stream of attacking ingenuity at No. 10.

Matthee hasn’t been able to live up to his sterling debut against the Leicester Tigers in December 2023 and can regain a lot of favour with Stormers fans if he can inspire the Capetonians to victory. Chamberlain might be a journeyman, but every now and then, he produces a match-winning performance. He and Bulls supporters will hope Saturday is that day after his recent erratic efforts.

Warrick Gelant vs Willie le Roux

Welcome to the magic show!

The prospect of one magician in a No. 15 jersey trying to outdo the other is mouth-watering and you sense that’s what Gelant will try to do in hopes of catching the Bok selectors’ attention. He’s a hit-or-miss type of talent and one you can’t take your eyes off of.

Bok legend Le Roux, meanwhile, has a much more proven track record when it comes to decision-making and is one of the best in the business in terms of game management. His composure, creativity and vision are invaluable to the men from Pretoria.