Five keys to Stormers' derby success against the Sharks

TOMORROW will mark the first of back-to-back coastal derbies in the United Rugby Championship (URC) between the Stormers and Sharks, with Cape Town hosting the opening duel.

- LEIGHTON KOOPMAN

For the Stormers, the challenge at the DHL Stadium (7.30pm kickoff) is clear: strike early, dominate the big plays and lay down a marker for the rest of the clash as they look to maintain their unbeaten home run against a hungry Sharks. We look at five key areas the Cape side will be targeting as they look to gain the upper hand to make it a ninth victory in the competition.

Scrums

The anticipation will build for the first scrum of the game, and how quickly the Stormers can establish some domination up front will be critical. The Sharks left Ox Nché on the bench, and the tightheads of the Cape side will be licking their lips at the prospect of giving young loosehead prop Phatu Ganyane a proper Mother City welcome.

A foothold in the scrums could provide plenty of quality ball for the backline that is yet to produce a proper attacking display in 2026. That could all depend on how the forwards fare in the scrums and if they can put the Sharks under pressure.