How effectively the Crusaders keep Andries Bekker under control is looming as crucial to their hopes of securing a victory over the Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday.
Bekker, the 29-year-old Springboks lock in the form of his life for the Stormers, has added an all-round game to his undoubted lineout ability, and Todd Blackadder has admitted his team will target what he called the home team's ``talisman''.
"He's almost their thermometer,'' said Blackadder. "Whenever he plays well, they play well. In the last couple of years we've certainly put a lot of focus into shutting him down. We've got Sam Whitelock on the lineout case and we'll really try to put a lot of pressure on him in the lineout. Certainly, he's their talisman and if you put a lot of pressure on him, you put a lot of pressure on their forward pack so if we can manage to dominate him, and he's a quality player, we'll give ourselves a good chance to get on top of them.''
George Whitelock, the captain in the absence of Kieran Read, added: "He's a really big part of the Stormers game. He'll win the lineout ball and they'll have some sort of midfield set-up and he will come around the corner and be the first carrier. If we can stop it at the source we believe we'll be right in the game.''
The Crusaders' lineout won't be the same without Read, who stayed in Christchurch after scans on his toe following the Kings victory showed ligament damage.