Stormers v Brumbies Super Rugby Preview

Out of the last six Super Rugby matches between the Cape Town based Stormers
and the Canberra based Brumbies both teams have won three matches each.

Overall the Stormers have played the Brumbies 17 times in Super Rugby and the
Stormers have won five matches and lost 11. There was also one draw in 2006.

That gives the Stormers a record of winning 29% of their matches against the
Brumbies. The average score when the Stormers play the Brumbies is Stormers
19 Brumbies 23.

This weekend the match will be played at Newlands in Cape Town which is home
for the Stormers and where the teams have met on 9 occasions.

In those 9 matches the Stormers have won four matches lost four and drawn one.
This gives them a record of winning 44% of their home matches against the Brumbies
– or due to the draw – not losing 55% of their matches.

The average score when the Stormers play the Brumbies in Cape Town is Stormers
21 Brumbies 21.

The Stormers earned home advantage for this match because they finished as
the top South African team. They finished the regular season on 45 points while
the Brumbies finished the season on 47 points.

While much has been said of the was SANZAR awards finals places the Stormers
most likely wouldn’t have fielded a second string team last week against the
Sharks if they had not already booked a home match. Had they fielded a stronger
team they could have earned more points in the standings and finished higher
than the Brumbies. We will never know what could have happened.

The Stormers finished the season in third place with 10 wins from 16 matches.
At home they played 8 matches and won six or 75% of their home matches.

The Brumbies finished the season with 9 wins from sixteen matches (they earned
the highest number of bonus points at 11 which is why they finished with more
points than the Stormers). The Brumbies played 8 matches away from home and
won four or 50% of their away matches.

The Brumbies have not won in Cape Town since 2010 and have lost their last
two matches in the city.

In terms of selections the Stormers have brought back their stars after resting
them last week. The line up is near enough to being their strongest line up
without Duane Vermeulen who has a neck injury.

Juan de Jongh takes over the captaincy and partners Damian de Allende in the
centres, with Nic Groom and Demetri Catrakilis partnering at halfback and the
back three of Cheslin Kolbe, Dillyn Leyds and Seabelo Senatla reunited.

Up front, Nizaam Carr – the only starting survivor from Durban – will pack
down at No.8 in a powerful and consistent forward pack, with hooker Scarra Ntubeni
(calf muscle) passed fit to join the bench.

Ntubeni, props Ali Vermaak and Vincent Koch, lock Jean Kleyn and loose forward
Michael Rhodes will serve as the forwards replacements, with Louis Schreuder,
Kurt Coleman and Jaco Taute the backline replacements.

The Brumbies were well beaten last week at home by the Crusaders but they have
retained the team for this week.

These teams have already met once this year and the Stormers won the match
as Brumbies flyhalf Christian Lealliifano missed a conversion kick in front
of the posts which would have given the Brumbies the victory but instead handed
a 25-24 victory to the Stormers.

This match is expected to come down to how the Brumbies handle the Stormers
scrum – albeit without Duane Vermeulen – and how the Stormers handle the Brumbies
rolling maul. Expect plenty of penalties and the Stormers will have the benefit
of a local South African set of match officials.

The Bookies
have given the Brumbies a 5 point start for this Match –