Locks, stock and barrel at Stormers
STORMERS coach Robbie Fleck has quite a few decisions to make in terms of his Super Rugby combinations and selections, but one thing is for sure, the lock pairing isn’t one of those choices.
You see, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit have cemented their spots in the Stormers (and probably the Springbok) starting XV, both individually and as a duo.
For the Stormers and the Springboks, workhorse Du Toit has produced strong performances, even when the rest of his Bok teammates struggled to perform last season.
During the Stormers’ Super Rugby campaign, he also showed just why he was voted SA Rugby Player of the Year and also scooped the top accolade at the Western Province awards ceremony last year.
Consider All Black powerhouses Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock, two men who not only boast the ridiculous skill that is characteristic of New Zealand’s tight forwards, but who come from a system that values physical conditioning as much as anything else. The fact that Du Toit was superior to these two in almost every area last year is testament to his value.
During the Super Rugby season, Du Toit won more lineouts than Retallick and Whitelock respectively (72 to their 43, and 29), he stole more lineout balls than both of them combined (14; 4, 2), made more carries (139; 66, 60), made more offloads (14; 5, 7) and was level with Retallick when it came to clean breaks (7; 7, 3).
That’s not all. He also beat more defenders (22; 12, 7), made more tackles (132; 92, 78) and scored more tries (3; 1, 1).
You could argue that Du Toit enjoyed more minutes in last year’s Super Rugby games than Retallick and Whitelock (1 056; 926, 825), but considering that he played the least minutes in the Rugby Championship out of the trio (288; 420, 433) and still beat them with regards to line-out wins (22; 6, 16) says enough.
He also topped Whitelock in the carries-made department (30; 29) and when it came to metres run (82; 53).
He was also level on tackles made with Retallick (45 each) and tries scored with Whitelock (one each). Enough of the stats.
Etzebeth, on the other hand, who was beaten to the biggest individual award in local rugby by Du Toit last year, has seen better days than the long, often dreadful ones in 2016.
He didn’t show the form that we all know he is capable of, but even when he wasn’t at his optimum, he still contributed with big bashes, solid line-out work and that giant presence.
Together, he and Du Toit have a lot more to offer. At least with all those combination and selection decisions Fleck has to make, it’s safe to say that the lock pairing won’t occupy too much of his time.