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We’ve got a cracking South African derby in store with the Lions taking on the Stormers from Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg. Be sure to join The Roar from 4:00am (AEDT).
These teams bring contrasting fortunes into this match.
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The Lions are winless after two rounds and will be desperate to get their season on track at home. A loss last weekend to the Sharks in wet conditions highlighted some of the Lions limitations and no doubt coach Johann Ackermann has been working hard this week on the set piece and breakdown intensity.
A committed and workaholic pack, another major issue for the Lions is the backline converting the work of their forwards into points. How Ackermann addresses this for today’s clash will be intriguing.
The Stormers however are on top of the world, as they head both the South African conference and the overall tournament standings. They will certainly see this match against a struggling Lions side as an opportunity to maintain their momentum.
Led by dynamic captain Duane Vermeulen and impressive lock Ruan Botha, the Stormers have an impressive forward pack that has managed to dominate the breakdown and set piece in their early matches.
The good form of Dimitri Catrakilis at first five and the dynamic Damian de Allende in midfield sees the Stormers as the early favourites in South Africa, and a team capable of challenging for the title.
Prediction
On paper this appears a mismatch, but as we have seen over the years, nothing can be taken for granted in a local derby. Perhaps a classic encounter lies in wait for us.
Stormers to win.
Join me as I cover all of the play live from 4:00am (AEST), and be sure to join in the comments below.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.