CAPE TOWN – Stormers prop Wilco Louw has stepped up in a big way. So it’s not surprising that former Stormers prop Robbie Kempson believes there’s a higher spot in future for the young “juggernaut” if he “keeps getting it right”.
Louw’s big step-up was during the Stormers’ 37-24 Super Rugby season-opening win over the Bulls at Newlands, while he also used the few scrums that there were against the Jaguares to further boost his already-impressive run.
During the Bulls game, there were a number of areas that Robbie Fleck’s charges showed a lot of promise in, but out of all those improved areas, it was their scrums that stood out the most during the morale-boosting victory.
And right at the front of that scrum dominance was Louw, who manhandled his opposite number Trevor Nyakane at the set-piece.
Although Kempson thinks that it’s a bit too early to get too excited about a possible Springbok call-up for Louw, he was confident that the 22-year-old’s talent won’t go unnoticed.
“It’s very early days to start talking about higher honours and all the rest of that, but on his current performances there aren’t many tightheads in South Africa. The way he dismantled the Bulls scrum would have opened a lot of eyes to what talent he’s got. Particularly scrumming,” he said.
“The around-the-field stuff he’s got to work on still, but with his pure scrumming ability he’s got the Stormers on the front foot. And with a pack like they have, you start getting Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit on the front foot in scrums, lineouts and in general play. It all start from that tighthead position and him getting front foot, going forward. And he’s done a very good job.”
Stormers incumbent tighthead and last year’s co-captain Frans Malherbe’s neck injury, which he sustained during his time with the Springboks last year, opened a window for Louw, pictured, to show what he was capable of during the Stormers’ pre-season games.
After Louw’s off-season performances, which Fleck described as “outstanding”, the Stormers boss opted to go with Louw for their round one fixture against the Bulls as he was set on rewarding fine pre-season form.
And seeing that Louw offers more than just scrum-value as he regularly hits the rucks, makes his tackles and gets involved where he can while Malherbe can be seen as more of a ball-carrier, Kempson added that the differences the two bring adds even more to the Stormers' current crop of props.
“He doesn’t seem like an individualist looking for the limelight. He’s very prepared to do the hard yards. So from a tighthead perspective I would differentiate him from Frans, I think they both bring to the party slightly different things,” he said.
“So it’s a combination of things. The combination between a Janse van Rensburg and a Wilco Louw, an Oli Kebble and a Frans Malherbe, I think those combinations work very well together. Even if they get to the point where they start Oli and Frans, I think the manner in which both the units play complement each other.”
During a press conference at the Stormers’ training base in Bellville this week, scrum coach Pieter de Villiers said that the team had been working hard on their endurance at the set-piece and the ability to absorb and combat a team’s shove while maintaining their shape.
While De Villiers said that the team’s scrummaging system has remained the same, it seems like the new techniques have certainly helped the Stormers’ scrum cause.
And Kempson believes that the scrum guru’s acquisition was a great one.
“I was very impressed with their scrums, there’s not even a question. I think Pieter de Villiers has done a magnificent job. The player potential has always been in Western Province and the Stormers, and to have a guy with Pieter’s expertise to come in I think that was a master stroke from Fleckie,” Kempson said.
Louw might have gotten a tad more attention in the past few weeks than his front-row mates, but Kempson said that the efforts of hooker Bongi Mbonambi and loosehead JC Janse van Rensburg shouldn’t go unnoticed.
“I think Pieter’s got that pack working together, which I think is important. And he’s used Wilco as a juggernaut in front to ensure they have stability, with regards to their scrum. But people mustn’t discount the effect of the hooker and the loosehead. JC and Bongi are working very hard. But Wilco has proved to be quite a handful this year,” he said.
Kempson also said that the lack of quality tightheads in the country can lead to big things for Louw, while he also mentioned Cheetahs front rower Ox Nche as a prospect to watch.
“The Beast (Tendai Mtawarira) is still around and I’ve been very impressed with Ox Nche. There aren’t many tightheads. So that’s why, in South Africa, there’s a gap for a guy like Wilco Louw if he gets it right consistently,” Kempson said.