Cape Town - Springbok RG Snyman showed his qualities on Saturday as he helped his Irish club side Munster to frustrate the Stormers when they secured a victory of 26-24, breaking the home side's win record at DHL Stadium in the process.
The towering lock was brilliant in the lineouts, he carried a couple of balls into contact well, tackled ferociously, and worked hard at the breakdown. And another small contribution - but big in the sense of the game - was his ability to chirp a lot of the Stormers' players, trying to throw them off their game.
Snyman did this constantly and would probably feel he won the battle with his countrymen and Springbok teammates. He's got that ability to play the niggly game with a cunning smile on his while towering over his opponents.
He was all over Stormers captain Steven Kitshoff, even when they walked down the tunnel for halftime. Prop Frans Malherbe and hooker Joseph Dweba also had Snyman in their faces a few times.
In the lineouts, he also terrorised the home side's jumpers along with his captain Peter O'Mahony who also delivered an inspiring performance.
"He's really knocking hard on the door to possibly get a call back to the Springboks side," Steven Kitshoff, Stormers captain, said of Snyman's return after his long injury layoff.
Kitshoff just laughed and shook his head when asked about the niggly play of Snyman.
"He's my mate, but today I didn't like him too much."
Graham Rowntree, Munster coach, said it was Snyman's first start in the URC for them for a significant period.
"I thought his performance was huge.
"He was constantly involved, on both sides of the ball. Of course, he is a huge presence in the setpiece and the maul. He's had a tricky time, and it is well-documented.
"But he has been great with the group. He is in our leadership group and the lads really respect him and have taken to him."
Rowntree said it was crucial for his side, just like his counterpart for the Stormers, John Dobson, mentioned earlier in the week, to start quickly.
"John referenced the lineout and maul in his recent media, I think it was yesterday (Friday). It was nice to show that we meant business there."
Snyman played a prominent role as a ranker for his team, while he helped to stop the Stormers' maul.
O'Mahony managed to steal a couple of lineouts from his opposition as he brilliantly got up to contest.
Their exploits helped to nullify the Stormers' attack early on which gave Munster the chance to strike to get a hold of the game.
@LeightonK