URC Week 3 Preview
Scarlets vs Stormers
Out of rhythm after their Week 2 match was cancelled due to bad weather, the Scarlets will need to develop their last season form as soon as possible if they are to replicate their playoff success. Injuries to Jake Ball and Josh Macleod will make this tricky, as their first match back will be against a Springbok-boosted Stormers side. The men from Cape Town are arguably the form team in the league, and that was before the return of Sacha Feinburg-Mngomezulu and Damien Willemse. This could get ugly if the Scarlets don’t pick up quickly.
Interestingly, the visitors have rested some of their front-row starters, which should alleviate pressure from Alec Hepburn and Henry Thomas at the scrum. Expecting the Scarlets to win it outright is bold, but their forwards will need to win ball as much as possible to slow down the destructive Stormers backs. In turn, Blair Murray and Ellis Mee are significant threats to the Stormers’ defence, and both wingers’ aerial skills will pressure their back three under the high ball.
While the Stormers are unsurprising favourites, there is an elephant in the room; the Stormers have only won two away fixtures in the past 12 months, and as the Ospreys have shown recently, the Welsh regions can certainly challenge them with the home advantage. Whoever keeps the most possession and controls the aerial game should take this, as they are fairly evenly-matched in terms of the quality of their attacks, but one has been firing much more consistently.
Key Matchup: Joe Hawkins needs to prove he can play the 10 jersey at this level, as going up against world-class rising star Sacha FM will test his game management and supporting skills.
Players to Watch: Taine Plumtree’s work at the breakdown and in carrying will be instrumental in creating a platform for the hosts’ backs to claim points. Damien Willemse was at his best in the Rugby Championship, and his superior experience could set up another Try of the Season, like the lst time this fixture happened.
Predicted Score: Scarlets 26 – 35 Stormers The hosts should get going and show how dangerous they can be when momentum is in their favour, but the Stormers are just too strong. The Scarlets’ slow starts might simply give the visitors’ too much to work with, and they simply don’t have enough answers to Sacha FM. The scoreline could be much closer, and given that they beat the Bulls last season, it’s not impossible for the Scarlets to pull off an upset, but they don’t have a lot of cards here.
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