dru
David Wilson (68)
I wouldn't read much into the "match-ready" talk going on. The Sharks had more pre-season games than the Lions and even with the Lions' pre-season game they played a bunch of fringe players and still came out on top.
Not to mention the Stormers had the Bulls as a pre-season (Super Rugby level) and then the Jaguares in round 1. You can't really count their earlier game against SWD so if anything they are just as match ready as the Waratahs with the Waratahs being fresher having had a week off and no travel.
Here's hoping the Stormers have learned to defend better than last season - especially when touring.
I think the "match ready" comments are legit. Especially a game in hand to get better understanding of the ref's view of packing scrums. Advantage to Stormers for me.
Someone was suggesting that the Stormers D in the centres had given the Tahs problems in previous seasons? Currently the Stormers centres are not being talked up in defence at all. They are boosted by wide forwards, but that might open other opportunities.
Stormers were working hard on wide ball and firing off their back three. Those guys were surprisingly slippery and the Tahs need to be on their toes.
I suspect that Tahs will have advantage in the line outs, Stormers in the scrums, Tahs in the pack around the park, Tahs in the back. As long as the scrum penalties are kept under control it really should be game to NSW.