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The Japanese have embarrassed the South Africans, again. The Sunwolves’ pack survived the set piece and almost won. How did they do it?
We are joined today by the one and only Rugby Tragic, known widely as “RT.”
We have in included here the introduction of the players and the referee.
Now the scrums!
1 of 8
The Stormers start strong. Their hooker Scarra Ntubeni wins another traditional hooker’s tight head steal. Beautiful.
Digby says: Great work from the Stormers hooker and loosehead, isolating and twisting the Sunwolves tighthead, turning the hooker so that he can’t strike, so easy for Ntubeni.
Harry says: The contortions and openness of Scarra’s hips required to execute this steal are so noteworthy I am re-nick-naming him Shakira Ntubeni.
RT says: The work the loosehead (Rensburg?) was doing was obvious, he got under the Sunwolves tighthead prop effectively breaking his bind as the scrum powered to the right. A statement made then.
Dani says: Looks like your classic tighthead win. However, the ball also looks like it bounced off the legs of the Sunwolves loosehead, but Ntubeni does what all good rugby players do and takes the opportunity to regain possession.
2 of 8
The Stormers cycle their scrum quickly and make plenty of metres.
Digby says: Sunwolves couldn’t even make a dent.
Harry says: This Stormer scrum is so lovely, it should’ve resulted in a future credit, so that when they collapse in a subsequent game, they use their credit to escape a penalty.
RT says: The Stormers scrum is really too powerful but the ball feeds are so crooked it’s a wonder there are not more penalties awarded against scrum halves.
Dani says: What a nice scrum that was and good work to move the ball quickly away from it. All those Wolfy forwards are too tied up to extract themselves quickly so the backs have to do the work. Was the Stormers pack moving forward a fraction before the put-in though?
3 of 8
The Wolves have learnt very quickly. An efficient rake by Takeshi Kizu shoots a bullet to the back. Three tackles later – they score a TRY!
Digby says: Nice adaptation by the Sunwolves, get it out!
Harry says: This is even quicker than the Rugby World Cup Brave Blossoms blooming ballistic ball bequeathing birth. The key is for the scrumhalf to hit the hooker’s instep with an airborne feed. Saves 0.04 seconds.
RT says: Feed definitely not straight as the Stormers powered through but quick clearance was the key as the Wolves scrum was under so much pressure. The resulting try was a beauty!
Dani says: I like how the Sunwolves take chances. Their brand of play this year has been fun to watch, if a little impotent. I will make a comment on how the ball was fed basically at their prop’s feet though. Referees used to call that sort of thing up! Surely easy to win the scrum battle if you know that the ball is in your space already.
4 of 8
Stormers scrum. They drive the Wolves backwards. No penalty called
Digby says: The Sunwolves tighthead is being splintered and isolated so easily, Lock has little to push on and Molis’ effort doesn’t help.
Harry says: I think he was waiting for the actual disintegration of the Wolves’ souls.
RT says: Really? With the Wolves front row the unfairness of the contest, it’s amazing no penalty called and to add insult the Stormers lose possession in clearing the pill!
Dani says: The Stormers pack is doing a coordinated climb up the grass to the try line. Not quite sure why the Wolves’ six decided to try and rejoin the scrum between his tighthead and the Stormers loosehead. A pity the Stormers lost the ball at the end there.
5 of 8
The Sunwolves lightning cycle again. This time, they try to score another try, but it’s thwarted.
Digby says: The Sunwolves loosehead is angling in now, helping to thwart a concerted Stormers shove.
Harry says: I wonder if Japanese pixelation technique is the key to speed scrums?
RT says: Dunno about finding their techniques but it was solid. Have to admire how quickly they freed the ball from the scrum which has to be the way against a physically stronger pack.
6 of 8
This could well be the world’s longest scrum penalty.
Digby says: Of interest to me was how low the Sunwolves hooker was in the first scrum, essentially creating a destabilising effect through the middle of his scrum. You can see the tighthead’s left shoulder lock up over the top of his hookers seat, no surprise they capitulated down that side.
Harry says: The ref recited the lyrics to Xanadu in his head, thought about his shopping list, and remembered sadly his first crush.
RT says: Very dominant scrum to the Stormers, the Sunwolves tighthead prop was destroyed and not able to hold back the force of the Stormers push putting great pressure on the opposite side of the scrum.
7 of 8
This time, the Stormers were short-armed for delivering a Wallaby special: the early push. But the Sunwolves have as more to do with this “early push” than the Capetonians. After this, the Wolves deliver another sonic scrum, demonstrating their confidence in their own feed.
Digby says: First scrum, Stormers hooker just lost his feet, and the second scrum was just making sure everyone gets the feet out of the way!
Harry says: They pulled the chair out from under the Stormers front row!
RT says: The early push, you see that so often, there needs to be clearer direction from the ref in my view.
8 of 8
The referee broke the previous world record in blowing a penalty with this one.
Digby says: Ludicrous. At least three Sunwolves had detached by that point, one was a lock!
Harry says: He had a mini-coma.
RT says: Wow, the Sunwolves’ six and eight were not bound to the scrum, probably as the set piece was on the move and as it twisted, the Sunwolves’ seven also detached before the penalty was blown.
OK, That’s all folks!
Your observations are appreciated, questions even more so – no question is too silly. And anyone can answer!
Stay tuned for ‘Racing to the Saracens’ bottom,’ which was requested by CUW.
Please request any other engagements you want to be ‘Scrumma-mogramed.’ We need ideas!
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