Johannesburg - There will be three opposing forces present in Cape Town this weekend when the Stormers host the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship (URC) final; and all of them will be battling each other.
The Cape-based side and the men from Pretoria will no doubt be in a war of attrition to claim a maiden URC title, but it is also expected that they will have to struggle against inclement weather that will be cold and wet. As such, a forward-dominated encounter is expected; with possession largely dictated by who can hold onto the ball best, while both sides drive their packs forward through territory.
The set-pieces – the scrums and line-outs – will, therefore, be extremely important on Saturday (kick-off 7.30pm) as both teams vie for supremacy and eventual victory.
Retshegofaditswe ‘Ox’ Nche of the Sharks, who is currently attached to the Springbok preparation camp ahead of the three-match Test series against Wales in July, knows a thing or two about the respective first eight of the Stormers and Bulls, having packed down against them throughout the season on multiple occasions.
And earlier this week, Ox - whose team was knocked out of the URC by the Bulls nthe quarter-finals - gave his opinion on what to expect from the respective packs and how they will go about their business at a possibly wet Cape Town Stadium.
“It will depend on the pitch as well,” said the 26-year-old. “It could be wet but the pitch solid.
“I would say feet more under you at scrum-time; more at a 90° angle and not at a 100° degrees. You have to get lower to get your power position from there.
The #Springboks have arrived at Thandanani Drop-Inn Centre in Mamelodi to rugby a bit with the kids here 👌 pic.twitter.com/zpIf1iU4oI
— Morgan Bolton (@FreemanZAR) June 15, 2022
“The Stormers have had a pretty successful scrum so in terms of that, they are going to be tough. The Bulls’ line-outs - given their defence - is pretty good.
“For me, in terms of the scrums, the Stormers might be better if they pitch. In terms of line-outs – contesting and pressure – the Bulls are going to make it very hard.”
On the topic of the pitch, previous matches at the venue have witnessed the turf cutting up under the weight of the scrums and mauls – which will also possibly play a big role in the final. Nche, however, is confident in the pitch withstanding the final onslaught, reiterating a belief that the result will be decided up-front.
Said the Bok prop: “All the times that I have played there, the pitch has been really good.
“It might look on TV as if it is loose and stuff but it is pretty solid under foot. I enjoy playing there and I think because of the rain, because of the conditions in Cape Town, it is going to be a forward game. Whoever wins the set-piece, whoever wins those small contact points, will have the best chance of victory."
Who better to serve up something hearty than @oxnche at the Thandanani Drop-Inn Centre in Mamelodi #OxKraal @Springboks @FoodForwardSA@IOLsport pic.twitter.com/JpNloZ48Op
— Morgan Bolton (@FreemanZAR) June 15, 2022
Nche made his comments while attending the Springboks' Youth Day initiative with FoodForward, which delivered groceries to Thandanani Drop-Inn Centre in Mamelodi, east of Pretoria, on Wednesday. It was an outing Nche admitted would keep him modest.
“It takes me back,” he said, “because I also went to a similar setting in terms of a creche. I grew up in an area similar to this in Thaba Nchu (70km east of Bloemfontein) in the Free State.
“It is amazing to see that big companies take initiative in helping. It takes someone within the community to make the change because they know, they understand, better than anyone else.
“It is a humbling experience and I have learnt quite a lot,” he concluded.
Regarding a final prediction, Nche revealed a belief that it is going to be very tight, saying: "I can't even say – if anything, it is going to go to 100 minutes."
So, extra-time, here we come.
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