Front-ront scrum showdowns are never really the biggest drawcard in rugby matches.
But that won’t be the case at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday when the Stormers host Ireland’s Ulster in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
Cutting to the chase, the big talking point this week is the return of ex-Stormers captain Steven Kitshoff, who left the Stormers for Ireland at the end of last season.
That’s not the biggest thing, though. It’s his scrum battle with long-time friend and fellow Springbok front-rower Frans Malherbe that will be worth the entry fee alone.
I was fortunate enough to be closely involved at the Stormers to see the duo’s rise firsthand. They were part of a golden generation that came through the Western Province academy and started their professional careers around 2011.
Since then, tighthead prop Malherbe and loosehead prop Kitshoff have become like inverters and load shedding - die manne loop hand aan hand, soos ‘n peanut butter en jam broodjie.
And this broodjie has been going down tastefully for South African rugby fans, scrumming the national team to back-to-back World Cup trophies.
Individually, both Malherbe and Kitshoff can lay claim to being the best in their respective positions in the world.
And with them being dik brasse, it makes Saturday’s duel all the more intriguing - to me it will be a bit like Shawn Michaels retiring Ric Flair in WWE or the brothers fighting in that epic scene of Warrior - I’ve referenced this movie before.
Anyway, if you look at the hunger and professionalism of both players, you know it will be brutal. They would want to give their best against each other.
Together they have started 27 Tests for the Springboks - second only to Jannie du Plessis and Beast Mtawarira (39).
The number for Malherbe and Kitshoff would have been higher if it weren’t for the latter’s vital role as a member of South Africa’s “Bomb Squad” over the years.
They won’t be wearing the same jumper on the field on Saturday, though - a first if memory serves.
And judging by what they told the Daily Mail in an interview last year, it will be war.
The last time Ulster visited DHL Stadium a touchline conversion from Manie Libbok after the hooter sealed a dramatic @Vodacom #URC semifinal win. #iamastormer #dhldelivers https://t.co/0Pl7kl3e8D pic.twitter.com/QhkQAxcImb
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) March 28, 2024
Talking about his approach to scrummaging, Kitshoff said: “It’s about going into that mode to really f**k a guy up.
“You can’t be passive. Every scrum is a wrestle, a fight. You’re trying to get dominance.
“A scrum is one of the key indicators to win games. If your scrum is dominant you’re more likely to win the game.
“Every scrum matters. For 80 minutes, you’re always in that fighting mindset.”
Malherbe agrees and added: “If you don’t get into that mindset then you’re going to go backwards.
“They’ll eat you alive. It’s not really a choice. It’s full-on aggression.
“If the loosehead is in a good position under the tighthead’s chest then you have to stay straight.
“It hurts your shoulder, neck, spine and legs. It feels like something is going to pop but you don’t know where. You have to remind yourself he is also feeling that so it’s about who gives up first.”
Having seen these two warriors in action for pver a decade now and having seen them team up to conquer almost every single opponent they have faced globally, I can’t see any of them “giving up first”.
Another big one at DHL Stadium on Saturday when we host Ulster in the @Vodacom #URC.
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) March 27, 2024
🎟️ Get your tickets https://t.co/YhgVIIhtEs#STOvULS #iamastormer #dhldelivers pic.twitter.com/IuSeXG1qUu
This battle will be brutal. I reckon it will be one of those where coaches around the world can carefully set the recorder to play it back to the boys they are trying to teach about the arts of the front-row shove.
Sit back and relax South Africa, two of your very own giants will collide on Saturday. And it will be personal…
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za