Cape Town - 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.
Fleck has so many choices, but so little time before things get real against the Bulls on 25 February at Newlands.
To start with, there is the loose-forward situation.
There is the ongoing issue of the Stormers’ openside flank, or lack thereof, although that has been resolved somewhat with the loan signing of Marnus Schoeman from the Pumas for the season after Stephan de Wit was ruled out through injury.
But of course there is also Nizaam Carr, who although he prefers the No 8 position, has shown that he can play at No 6.
Then there are also Siya Kolisi, Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Rynhardt Elstadt to name a few - all men who are loose-trio contenders.
At flyhalf Fleck has Jean-Luc du Plessis, who made a welcome return from injury and featured in the Stormers squad in the first two warm-up games, Robert du Preez, Kurt Coleman and new comer Damian Willemse.
The Stormers have some good depth and obviously some tough calls to make. But they are the kinds of decisions that no coach will, nor should, complain about. Especially not Fleck, who was hampered with injuries to key players last season.
No head-scratching of explanations are needed when it comes to his No 4 and 5, though,and I’m sure a lot of people will agree.
You see, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit have cemented their spots in the Stormers (and perhaps also the Springbok) starting XV, both individually and as a duo.
With the Stormers and the Springboks, the workhorse Du Toit has produced strong performances, even when the rest of his Bok teammates sometimes struggled to perform the way they did for the entire 2016 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.
Just think of All Black powerhouses Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock, two men who not only boast ridiculous skill that is characteristic of New Zealand’s tight forwards, but who also come from a system that values physical conditioning just as much as anything else.
So the fact that Du Toit was superior to these two in almost every area last year is testament to his value.
And I do mean almost EVERY area.
During the 2016 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).
But 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 lineout 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 with regards to tackles made, with Retallick (45 each) and tries scored with Whitelock (one each).
Okay, that’s enough stats now, and I think I’ve made my point.
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 (with the Springboks, obviously).
He didn’t show the form that we all know he is more than capable of, but even when he wasn’t at his optimum, he still contributed with big bashes, solid lineout work and that giant presence.
And he and Du Toit, together, have a lot more to offer. At least with all those combination and selection decisions Fleck has to make, I think it’s safe to say that the lock pairing won’t occupy too much of his time.