The Stormers are shaking things up with six fresh faces in their starting lineup for the high-stakes Vodacom URC showdown against the Glasgow Warriors this Saturday in Cape Town. In a significant backline shuffle, Damian Willemse slides back to fullback, pushing Warrick Gelant out of the squad, while Wandisile Simelane takes over the right wing. Adding to the excitement, prodigy Markus Muller is poised to make his first appearance from the bench, marking him as one of the youngest to debut for the team alongside Willemse.
In the forwards, the front row sees Neethling Fouché and André-Hugo Venter stepping in for Zac Porthen and Scarra Ntubeni, with Porthen remaining game-ready on the bench. The void left by JD Schickerling's long-term injury ushers Ruben van Heerden into a starting lock position next to Adré Smith. Meanwhile, Paul de Villiers will bring new energy to the openside flank, taking over from veteran Deon Fourie.
The bench also brims with potential, featuring the likes of hooker JJ Kotze, loose forward Keke Morabe, scrumhalf Imad Khan, flyhalf Jurie Matthee, and the much-talked-about Muller. With the playoff phase inching closer, the home-ground advantage could prove pivotal for the Stormers.
"With the playoffs getting closer all the time, it is important that we make the most of this opportunity to play at home in front of our fans,"
noted John Dobson, the team’s director of rugby. He added,
"It has been a good week of training, and we are looking forward to seeing what the players coming into the mix can add in what is a crucial match against a strong Glasgow team."
The match also serves as a landmark for flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who will be making his 50th appearance for the club. Dobson praised his flyhalf's resilience under pressure, expressing confidence in his continued importance to the squad. "There is a lot expected of Sacha, and he handles the pressure so well. He will be a key player in our squad for years to come, and hopefully we can make this match memorable for him."
STORMERS – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Wandisile Simelane, 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 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Bench: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Marcel Theunissen, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Markus Muller.
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The Stormers are shaking things up with six fresh faces in their starting lineup for the high-stakes Vodacom URC showdown against the Glasgow Warriors this Saturday in Cape Town. In a significant backline shuffle, Damian Willemse slides back to fullback, pushing Warrick Gelant out of the squad, while Wandisile Simelane takes over the right wing. Adding to the excitement, prodigy Markus Muller is poised to make his first appearance from the bench, marking him as one of the youngest to debut for the team alongside Willemse.
In the forwards, the front row sees Neethling Fouché and André-Hugo Venter stepping in for Zac Porthen and Scarra Ntubeni, with Porthen remaining game-ready on the bench. The void left by JD Schickerling's long-term injury ushers Ruben van Heerden into a starting lock position next to Adré Smith. Meanwhile, Paul de Villiers will bring new energy to the openside flank, taking over from veteran Deon Fourie.
The bench also brims with potential, featuring the likes of hooker JJ Kotze, loose forward Keke Morabe, scrumhalf Imad Khan, flyhalf Jurie Matthee, and the much-talked-about Muller. With the playoff phase inching closer, the home-ground advantage could prove pivotal for the Stormers.
"With the playoffs getting closer all the time, it is important that we make the most of this opportunity to play at home in front of our fans,"
noted John Dobson, the team’s director of rugby. He added,"It has been a good week of training, and we are looking forward to seeing what the players coming into the mix can add in what is a crucial match against a strong Glasgow team."
The match also serves as a landmark for flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who will be making his 50th appearance for the club. Dobson praised his flyhalf's resilience under pressure, expressing confidence in his continued importance to the squad. "There is a lot expected of Sacha, and he handles the pressure so well. He will be a key player in our squad for years to come, and hopefully we can make this match memorable for him."
STORMERS – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Wandisile Simelane, 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 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Bench: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Marcel Theunissen, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Markus Muller.