VENUE & TIME: Newlands, Cape Town, Saturday March 6, 17.05 local (04.05 Sunday NZT).
HEAD TO HEAD: Played 14 – Western Province/Stormers 4, Highlanders 9, drawn 1.
LAST TIME: April 24, 2009 (Dunedin) – Highlanders 11-18 Stormers.
LAST TIME AT VENUE: April 26, 2008 – Stormers 26-16 Highlanders.
MATCH ODDS: NZ TAB (Tuesday): Stormers $1.50, Highlanders $2.50.
WALKING WOUNDED: The Stormers had good news on the availability front this week, with Schalk Burger back from his hamstring problems and Wickus Blaauw over his shoulder niggle. On top of that Dewaldt Duvenhage has been promoted to start at scrum-half, a move many in the Cape feel a couple of weeks overdue. Anton Van Zyl also returns to the run-on XV with all four displaced from last week dropping to the bench. The Highlanders, not surprisingly, have named an unchanged lineup.
FORM:
PAST FIVE Stormers:
Round 1: Beat Lions 26-13
Round 2: Beat Waratahs 27-6
Round 3: Lost to Brumbies 17-19
PAST FIVE Highlanders:
Round 1: Lost to Crusaders 17-32
Round 2: Lost to Blues 15-19
Round 3: Beat Cheetahs 31-24
The Stormers would rather forget the closing minutes of last week’s match, as they gave up a try to the Brumbies before scoring one themselves only for the match-tying conversion to drift wide of the posts. Given their form of the previous two weeks, this would be seen in the Cape as three points lost unnecessarily. The Highlanders, on the other hand, would have much kinder memories of the closing stages of their first win for the year, which came something against most predictions. While the Highlanders had been competitive in both previous matches, the travel and a confident Cheetahs side were combined factors expected to do the Highlanders in. Both matches probably cost the betting agencies a few bob, while Stormers coach Allister Coetzee, who lamented in the media this week about the number of tries his charges bombed, obviously got less satisfaction from the weekend than Highlanders boss Glenn Moore.
WHO'S HOT: The Stormers had been looking good until slipping against the Brumbies last week but they won’t be easy-beats in this one. The return of Duvenhage to halfback should give the line more spark and, if that happens, watch out for the ever-dangerous Bryan Habana anywhere there is a try on offer. Andries Bekker is a dominant player these days and plenty of pressure will go on the Highlanders to nullify the big man’s power, while Burger is also a known threat. The Highlanders have concentrated on their set pieces at training this week, where the front row will be put to the test at scrum time and Josh Bekhuis and Tom Donnelly will really need to be on the case in the lineouts. Michale Hobbs continues to present a running and try-scoring threat from first-five and Israel Dagg – who did a handy job off the kicking tee last week – is ever-keen to have a go from the back.
WE THINK: This is one of those games that could go either way – the Highlanders have a good record over the Stormers – but we suspect the visitors will need a lot to go right to take four points. We can’t see the Stormers blowing it twice running and will pick the home side by 10 points or so, although a bonus