Stats can't separate Stormers and Chiefs

This April‚ the last time the Chiefs played the Stormers‚ the New Zealanders lost one of only two matches this year‚ while both team dished up a rugby spectacle that is among the top five games of Super Rugby 2017.

Seven tries were shared with the Chiefs scoring arguably the try of the season‚ which started 95 metres from the Stormers’ goalline and went through nine passes before wing Toni Pulu touched down.

The Stormers responded with a brilliant SP Marais try from a sensational Dillyn Leyds offload when he was on the seat of his pants to secure a 34-26 victory.

As appetisers for the play-offs go‚ it was a mouth-watering hors d’oeuvre. But after this Saturday‚ there is no next week for one team.

It’s all-or-nothing time now and statistically there is little to choose between the teams.

Both sides have made 102 linebreaks‚ the Stormers have kicked 305 times to the Chiefs’ 294 while the South Africans have won 147 lineouts to the Chiefs’ 110.

But the Chiefs have poached 14 lineouts and the eight of the Stormers. The Stormers have conceded fewer penalties (88 versus 98) and made 80 tackle breaks to 70.

They’ve made almost the identical number of tackles with the Stormers making 1978 and the Chiefs 1981 with the former missing 327 and the Chiefs’ 304.

Both sides have made 55 tackle turnovers. There is simply no way to separate them other than the Stormers’ concession of 61 tries this year against the Chiefs’ 30‚ underlining that despite missing similar amounts of tackles‚ the New Zealanders are scrambling well on defence.

Stormers captain Siya Kolisi and coach Robbie Fleck accepted that they are likely to concede tries‚ but unlike in 2016‚ the Stormers are far more confident in their own ability to score tries.

They’ve dotted down 64 times this season‚ so that confidence is justified. Kolisi also pinpointed the breakdown as vital.

"We have seen them [what the Chiefs can do] when they get quick ball and what type of players they have‚" Kolisi said.

"They are dangerous when they control the tempo of the game‚ so the breakdowns are going to be important this weekend.”

Chiefs coach Dave Rennie dismissed last year 60-21 win at the same stage at Newlands as an indication of what would transpire this time around.

“What happened in the past counts for little‚ particularly as last year the Stormers hadn’t played any Kiwi sides in the build-up to the quarterfinals‚” Rennie said.

“This time they have played five New Zealand times‚ and have won both matches they’ve played against New Zealand sides at home. So they’re a different beast this year.

“We know it is going to be a massive occasion again‚ just like it was the last time [the pool match earlier this year].

“That last game was a hell of a game of footy. We made a couple of errors and got punished. We know we need to look after the ball this time‚ we know they’ve got a heck of a lot of firepower at the back and a big pack.

"That’s what we expect from South African sides. Hopefully we can get a bit of the pill and put pressure on them.”

Teams:

Stormers: 15 SP Marais‚ 14 Cheslin Kolbe‚ 13 EW Viljoen‚ 12 Damian de Allende‚ 11 Dillyn Leyds‚ 10 Damian Willemse‚ 9 Jano Vermaak‚ 8 Nizaam Carr‚ 7 Rynhardt Elstadt‚ 6 Siya Kolisi (captain)‚ 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ 4 Eben Etzebeth‚ 3 Frans Malherbe‚ 2 Bongi Mbonambi‚ 1 JC Janse van Rensburg. 


Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels‚ 17 Oli Kebble‚ 18 Wilco Louw‚ 19 Chris van Zyl‚ 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe‚ 21 Justin Phillips‚ 22 Seabelo Senatla‚ 23 Juan de Jongh.

Chiefs: 15 Damian McKenzie‚ 14 Solomon Alaimalo‚ 13 Anton Lienert-Brown‚ 12 Stephen Donald‚ 11 James Lowe‚ 10 Aaron Cruden (co-capt)‚ 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow‚ 8 Michael Leitch‚ 7 Sam Cane (co-capt)‚ 6 Liam Messam‚ 5 Mitchell Brown‚ 4 Brodie Retallick‚ 3 Nepo Laulala‚ 2 Nathan Harris‚ 1 Kane Hames.

Replacements: 16 Liam Polwart‚ 17 Aidan Ross‚ 18 Atu Moli‚ 19 Dominic Bird‚ 20 Lachlan Boshier‚ 21 Finlay Christie‚ 22 Tim Nanai-Williams‚ 23 Shaun Stevenson

 - TimesLIVE