Abysmal Stormers lineout performance gifts Edinburgh the win
The DHL Stormers suffered a 17-13 loss to Edinburgh, largely due to a poor lineout performance. Despite having a physical advantage, the Stormers struggled with communication and execution throughout the match.
Why it matters
The loss highlights the critical importance of set-piece execution in professional rugby and the challenges teams face when playing in difficult weather conditions.
When your team does particularly well the way it is sometimes described as a performance for the ages but you’d have to look for something that describes the opposite after the DHL Stormers produced a lineout performance so poor it beggared belief at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Friday night.
It might seem unkind to not give Edinburgh some credit for their hard fought 17-13 win in the second Vodacom URC match of the season as they maintained their unbeaten record against the Cape side at home. Indeed, the Stormers still have to win on Scottish soil, with the closest they’ve ever come to winning north of the English border being their draw in their first ever visit to Edinburgh in 2022.
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