John Dobson has beefed up his Stormers squad with a hefty inclusion of 11 Springboks for their forthcoming URC showdown against the Sharks this Saturday at Cape Town Stadium. After a narrow 17-13 defeat to Edinburgh, Dobson is banking on seasoned players like Deon Fourie and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to steer the team back to winning ways. Newcomer Haashim Pead is also expected to make his Stormers debut from the bench.
The addition of seven Springboks to the lineup marks their first appearance of the season, injecting much-needed vigor into the team's dynamics. The backline sees a reshuffling with Damian Willemse stepping in as fullback, accompanied by Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cobus Reinach in the halves. Both Pead and Wandisile Simelane will hold positions as backline substitutes.
Changes in the front row include Wilco Louw, who will be playing his first game for the Stormers since 2020. The bench will feature Fourie alongside props Neethling Fouché and Vernon Matongo. The starting XV will also witness Adré Smith stepping in as lock. In a strategic move, Siya Kolisi will shift to blindside flank to accommodate the return of Paul de Villiers in the loose trio, complemented by substitutes Evan Roos and Riley Norton.
The teams are poised at different ends of the spectrum in the URC standings, with the Stormers at eighth and the Sharks leading with consecutive bonus-point victories. The Sharks have dominated previous encounters, including a 30-19 victory in their last match in Cape Town on January 24, and they are aiming for a third consecutive win over their regional adversaries.
"It is fantastic to be able to name a team like this which is full of exceptional talents, from Deon Fourie with 141 Stormers caps through to Haashim Pead who makes his first appearance for us," Dobson enthused. "It has been really encouraging to see the way the players returning from national duty have stepped up this week and added immensely to our preparations. It was a tough team to select with many quality players missing out."
This weekend also marks the team's debut in their new ‘Men in Black’ kit, an homage to their storied past and a touch that resonates deeply with the fans.
Team lineup for the Stormers includes:
- 15. Damian Willemse
- 14. Seabelo Senatla
- 13. Ruhan Nel (c)
- 12. Jonathan Roche
- 11. Leolin Zas
- 10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
- 9. Cobus Reinach
- 8. Hacjivah Dayimani
- 7. Siya Kolisi
- 6. Paul de Villiers
- 5. JD Schickerling
- 4. Adré Smith
- 3. Wilco Louw
- 2. André-Hugo Venter
- 1. Ntuthuko Mchunu
Substitutes:
- 16. Deon Fourie
- 17. Vernon Matongo
- 18. Neethling Fouché
- 19. Riley Norton
- 20. Connor Evans
- 21. Evan Roos
- 22. Haashim Pead
- 23. Wandisile Simelane
