The chessboard of rugby sees a strategic reshuffle as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu reclaims his spot as the Stormers' fly-half for the upcoming Vodacom URC face-off against Connacht this Saturday in Cape Town. The young standout, only 24, steps up from the bench where he watched last week's defeat to Toulon unfold, replacing Jurie Matthee who has been dropped from the matchday squad. Meanwhile, Damian Willemse continues to adapt to the wings, with Warrick Gelant holding down the fort at fullback and Dan du Plessis anchoring the inside centre.
In a poignant twist to the team dynamics, hooker Scarra Ntubeni is set to potentially make his final appearance in a Stormers jersey, flanked by new props Zachary Porthen and Ntuthuko Mchunu. The forward pack sees further adjustments, as JD Schickerling secures a start in the second row, and the loose trio welcomes Ben-Jason Dixon alongside the steadfast Deon Fourie, with Paul de Villiers relegated to bench duties and Hacjivah Dayimani excluded from the squad.
The match carries an additional emotional load, serving as a tribute to the recently deceased team manager Chippie Solomon, a revered figure within the club. Director of rugby John Dobson emphasized the team's intent to honor Solomon respectfully without losing focus on the game's critical stakes.
"Everyone at the club would like to celebrate Chippie’s life and make this a special occasion to pay our respects to someone who meant so much to us, but we will not let that distract us from the task on the field,"
Dobson asserted. He further highlighted the encounter’s significance in solidifying a favorable position for the playoffs against a "strong Connacht team that will be playing to keep their play-off hopes alive."
This critical clash not only aims at securing a strategic advantage in the knockout phase but also hopes to set a crowd record, amplifying the team's call to the Cape Town community to rally behind them in this dual-purpose match.
Stormers team lineup for Saturday: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Damian Willemse, 13 Ruhan Nel (c), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Bench: 16 André-Hugo Venter, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Neethling Fouché, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Wandisile Simelane.
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The chessboard of rugby sees a strategic reshuffle as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu reclaims his spot as the Stormers' fly-half for the upcoming Vodacom URC face-off against Connacht this Saturday in Cape Town. The young standout, only 24, steps up from the bench where he watched last week's defeat to Toulon unfold, replacing Jurie Matthee who has been dropped from the matchday squad. Meanwhile, Damian Willemse continues to adapt to the wings, with Warrick Gelant holding down the fort at fullback and Dan du Plessis anchoring the inside centre.
In a poignant twist to the team dynamics, hooker Scarra Ntubeni is set to potentially make his final appearance in a Stormers jersey, flanked by new props Zachary Porthen and Ntuthuko Mchunu. The forward pack sees further adjustments, as JD Schickerling secures a start in the second row, and the loose trio welcomes Ben-Jason Dixon alongside the steadfast Deon Fourie, with Paul de Villiers relegated to bench duties and Hacjivah Dayimani excluded from the squad.
The match carries an additional emotional load, serving as a tribute to the recently deceased team manager Chippie Solomon, a revered figure within the club. Director of rugby John Dobson emphasized the team's intent to honor Solomon respectfully without losing focus on the game's critical stakes.
"Everyone at the club would like to celebrate Chippie’s life and make this a special occasion to pay our respects to someone who meant so much to us, but we will not let that distract us from the task on the field,"
Dobson asserted. He further highlighted the encounter’s significance in solidifying a favorable position for the playoffs against a "strong Connacht team that will be playing to keep their play-off hopes alive."This critical clash not only aims at securing a strategic advantage in the knockout phase but also hopes to set a crowd record, amplifying the team's call to the Cape Town community to rally behind them in this dual-purpose match.
Stormers team lineup for Saturday: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Damian Willemse, 13 Ruhan Nel (c), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Bench: 16 André-Hugo Venter, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Neethling Fouché, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Wandisile Simelane.