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Cape Town - Hurricanes lock Jason Eaton says they will try and emulate their countrymen, the Crusaders, and disrupt the lineout ball of the Stormers' Andries Bekker in their Super Rugby clash on Friday.
The 2.08m Bekker is an imposing force and the key cog in a highly effective Stormers lineout. However, four weeks ago the Crusaders dismantled the Stormers lineout in a 19-14 win at Newlands and Eaton admitted that they will try to follow suit.
''Yeah, we're aware how much success they had there. Any team you play if you shut down the set piece it's 50 percent of the game done really, " Eaton told the Dominion Post's website.
''No doubt we'll try to shut down Bekker. He's pretty imposing and if we can eliminate him from winning 100 percent of his ball we'll be ahead on the scoreboard. We'll stick to the basics and disrupt as much set piece ball as we can.''
The Hurricanes lineout received a boost with the return of No 8 Victor Vito, while lock Jeremy Thrush has been in strong form of late.
Eaton, who will also return after a week off, admitted that the team renowned for its backline play, will be out to improve up front.
"Early in the season our tight five were on top of opposition's, but not so much in the last few weeks. There's been a bit of finger pointing the last couple of days even the last few weeks and guys know they have to step up."
The Stormers are currently 11th on the Overall Super Rugby log, with three wins and four losses, while the Hurricanes are eighth with five wins and three losses.
The clash in Palmerston North kicks off at (09:35 SA time) on Friday.
Teams:
Hurricanes:
15 Andre Taylor, Alapati Leiua, Conrad Smith (captain), Tim Bateman, Matt Proctor, 10. Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, 8. Victor Vito, 7. Karl Low, 6. Brad Shields, 5. Jason Eaton, 4. Jeremy Thrush, 3. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2. Motu Matu’u, 1. Ben Franks
Substitutes: 16. Ash Dixon, 17. Ben May, 18. Mark Reddish, 19. Faifili Levave, 20. Ardie Savea, 21. Chris Smylie, 22. Tusi Pisi
Stormers:
15. Joe Pietersen, 14. Gio Aplon, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Jean de Villiers (captain), 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Gary van Aswegen, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Michael Rhodes, 6. Siya Kolisi, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. De Kock Steenkamp, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16. Scarra Ntubeni, 17. Brok Harris, 18. Rynardt Elstadt, 19. Nizaam Carr, 20. Nic Groom 21. Louis Schreuder, 22. Damian de Allend
The 2.08m Bekker is an imposing force and the key cog in a highly effective Stormers lineout. However, four weeks ago the Crusaders dismantled the Stormers lineout in a 19-14 win at Newlands and Eaton admitted that they will try to follow suit.
''Yeah, we're aware how much success they had there. Any team you play if you shut down the set piece it's 50 percent of the game done really, " Eaton told the Dominion Post's website.
''No doubt we'll try to shut down Bekker. He's pretty imposing and if we can eliminate him from winning 100 percent of his ball we'll be ahead on the scoreboard. We'll stick to the basics and disrupt as much set piece ball as we can.''
The Hurricanes lineout received a boost with the return of No 8 Victor Vito, while lock Jeremy Thrush has been in strong form of late.
Eaton, who will also return after a week off, admitted that the team renowned for its backline play, will be out to improve up front.
"Early in the season our tight five were on top of opposition's, but not so much in the last few weeks. There's been a bit of finger pointing the last couple of days even the last few weeks and guys know they have to step up."
The Stormers are currently 11th on the Overall Super Rugby log, with three wins and four losses, while the Hurricanes are eighth with five wins and three losses.
The clash in Palmerston North kicks off at (09:35 SA time) on Friday.
Teams:
Hurricanes:
15 Andre Taylor, Alapati Leiua, Conrad Smith (captain), Tim Bateman, Matt Proctor, 10. Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, 8. Victor Vito, 7. Karl Low, 6. Brad Shields, 5. Jason Eaton, 4. Jeremy Thrush, 3. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2. Motu Matu’u, 1. Ben Franks
Substitutes: 16. Ash Dixon, 17. Ben May, 18. Mark Reddish, 19. Faifili Levave, 20. Ardie Savea, 21. Chris Smylie, 22. Tusi Pisi
Stormers:
15. Joe Pietersen, 14. Gio Aplon, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Jean de Villiers (captain), 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Gary van Aswegen, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Michael Rhodes, 6. Siya Kolisi, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. De Kock Steenkamp, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16. Scarra Ntubeni, 17. Brok Harris, 18. Rynardt Elstadt, 19. Nizaam Carr, 20. Nic Groom 21. Louis Schreuder, 22. Damian de Allend
