Lions lock Franco Mostert aiming to get jump on Whitelock

Sam Whitelock of the Crusaders. Photo / Photosport.co.nz

The Crusaders' dominance this season has been built around the form and leadership of Sam Whitelock, a key component of one of the best set pieces in the competition, but the lineout prowess of the All Black is set to be challenged in the final by Franco Mostert.

The 26-year-old Lions lock, who made his Springboks debut last year, has been a devastating weapon for Johan Ackermann's team.

Mostert, only 1.98m tall compared with Whitelock's 2.03m, has secured 16 lineout steals this season, more than twice as many as the next best player, Stephan Lewies from the Sharks.

Crusaders No8 Kieran Read is the Crusaders' best operator in this area, winning six steals which puts him seventh on the list.

Both Mostert, described recently by former Boks legend Bakkies Botha as the best lock in South Africa, and Read won two steals in their
respective semifinals last weekend, the South African against the Hurricanes at Ellis Park when the visitors were in good attacking positions.

The Hurricanes were enjoying a good first-half lead at the time only for the combinations between thrower Dane Coles and his jumpers to break down. If finals rugby hinges on winning the small moments as the players and coaches say, who knows what could have happened if both lineouts were won?

Read's steals were similarly crucial in a tight game against the Chiefs in Christchurch, a match in which his side won only 30 per cent possession, and the All Blacks skipper will be a key man in spreading the lineout load for 28-year-old Whitelock. Lock Scott Barrett is also an extremely safe option for the Crusaders.

Lineout steals are momentum killers for the team throwing the ball in, and the Crusaders have talked extensively about how they must fuel theirs at Ellis Park on Sunday morning while limiting the Lions'.

Mostert's ability isn't confined to the set piece, either. He has made 145 tackles, the ninth best in the competition, and better than Matt Todd's 136.

Statistically, the two teams in the final have the best lineouts in the competition, and both are likely to drive off them. Metaphorically speaking, the Lions mauled the Hurricanes to death in the second half of their match last weekend and the Crusaders will back themselves to take the home side on here for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, if they can achieve dominance they will achieve a significant mental advantage and secondly it will help Scott Robertson's men control the pace of the game. If they make every maul and ruck a contest the Lions will struggle to get their go-forward momentum which they love so much and it could help the visitors mitigate against the effects of playing at altitude, although they have insisted the latter won't be an issue.

Successfully attack a team's strength, so the theory goes, and the game is as good as won. The New Zealand teams in this competition have always felt that if a South African team can't bully their opponents up front they have little to fall back on.

This Lions team has more than that thanks in part to the vision and tactical acumen of coach Ackermann, but if the Crusaders can nullify the Lions' lineout and especially their driving maul, it's no leap to suggest they have a very good chance of winning their first title since 2008.

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Leap of faith:
Top lineout steals
1. Franco Mostert (Lions) 16
2. Stephan Lewies (Sharks) 8
3. Teboho Mohoje (Cheetahs) 7
7=. Kieran Read (Crusaders) 6

Top lineout winners
1. Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers) 61
2. Sam Carter (Brumbies) 56
3=. Franco Mostert (Lions) 54
17. Sam Whitelock (Crusaders) 43