Rugby: Crusaders prepare a battle of the boot

The Stormers' pivotal kicker, Peter Grant, is intimidating with an 85 per cent success rate. Photo / Getty Images

Discipline has been the mantra as the Crusaders prepare to defy the odds when they meet the Stormers in Cape Town overnight.

Playing at No 10 for the Stormers is Peter Grant who is widely accepted as the competition's premier sharpshooter as he is kicking at close to an 85 per cent success rate.

Grant has been out injured for seven of the Stormers' 16 matches this season, but when he's been playing, his kicking has been pivotal.

A South African rugby website yesterday noted that in four close victories this season - 21-15 v Cheetahs, 18-6 v Highlanders, 23-12 v Bulls and 16-6 v Sharks - Grant contributed 68 of the 78 points scored, including just one conversion.

Close to 60 per cent of the Stormers' points this year have come via the boot. By contrast, tries make up 54 per cent of the Crusaders' points.

With wet weather predicted, the battle between Grant and Carter (74 per cent success rate this year) could prove pivotal.

But it's not just penalties within kicking range that worry coach Todd Blackadder.

"If we give penalties away, they'll kick to the corners and they've got a really good driving lineout."

Combine that weapon with Grant's skill off the tee and it's clear the Stormers are drilled to capitalise on other teams' indiscretions.

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has named a conservative lineup, spurning the counter-attacking skills of Gio Aplon at the back for Conrad Jantjes on the basis of the latter's better kicking game. Aplon will take his place on the right wing.

Rock solid Jean de Villiers has been named at second five-eighth, leaving Blackadder in no doubt as to how the Stormers will attack.

"They'll try to punch through the middle, they'll be really direct."

Crusaders assistant Daryl Gibson noted that the Sharks attacked their breakdown early, causing some disruption to the Crusaders' rhythm and he expects the Stormers to follow suit.

"We've always been told our Achilles heel is our breakdown," Gibson said.

"The reason is because we like to play with width and use the ball.

"We're aware of that, we're going to have to brace ourselves for that physical challenge."

Stormers v Crusaders

Conrad Jantjes
Gio Aplon
Jaque Fourie
Jean de Villiers
Bryan Habana
Peter Grant
Dewaldt Duvenage
Nick Koster
Francois Louw
Schalk Burger (c)
Andries Bekker
Rynhardt Elstadt
Brok Harris
Tiaan Liebenberg
Wicus Blaauw

Reserves: Deon Fourie, Steven Kitshoff, Anton van Zyl, Schalk Brits, Louis Schreuder, Juan de Jongh, Johann Sadie.

Tom Marshall
Sean Maitland
Robbie Fruean
S.B. Williams
Zac Guildford
Dan Carter
Andy Ellis
Kieran Read
Richie McCaw (c)
George Whitelock
Sam Whitelock
Brad Thorn
Owen Franks
Corey Flynn
Wyatt Crockett

Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Ben Franks, Luke Romano, Matt Todd, Kahn Foutali'i, Matt Berquist, Ryan Crotty.