Not all mini-battles are created equal, the All Out Rugby team debates which head-to-head will prove to be the most decisive in Saturday’s Currie Cup final between the Sharks and Western Province …
Tank Lanning – Thomas du Toit vs Wilco Louw
Having both played around 600 minutes of Currie Cup rugby, Louw has 2 tries to the 1 from Du Toit. The latter, though, has double the amount of carries, made 5 more offloads and pilfered the ball at the break down 8 times to the single pilfer from Louw. Their tackle success and scrum penalty stats are identical, but the WP man has made 15 dominant hits to the 10 from Du Toit.
But for once, and with due respect to my fellow debater, I do not give a toss about the stats!
Yes, their work at the breakdown, with ball in hand, and on pillar defence will be important, but it’s the battle up front that is going to decide the Currie Cup final, with the scrum being fundamental to how that battle plays out.
Just ask the Lions. My oath, but did their little front row trick backfire at Newlands!
In Du Toit and Louw we have the form loosehead and tighthead props in the country (and that includes Super Rugby) going head to head. Stock the cooler box and reinforce the braai grid my friends, this is going to be a corker!
In the final pool game of the season 2 weeks ago – contested between these two sides, also at Kings Park, Du Toit owned the first scrum. Louw, though, with the help of the most under-rated loosehead in the land, JC Janse van Rensburg (who is again likely to edge his battle with Ross Geldenhuys), came good to bring parity to the head to head.
Jaco Peyper, the man in charge of the final, also reffed the match 2 weeks ago. He dished out 3 scrum penalties to the Sharks, and 2 to WP. Here’s hoping he lets the scrum evolve as a contest, and not a penalty fest!
CLICK HERE to see what Zelim has to say …
