By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Stormers welcome back flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and inside centre Damian Willemse for Saturday’s sold-out Vodacom URC clash against the Bulls at Cape Town Stadium.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed the Stormers’ clash against the Lions two weeks ago due to a groin strain, while Willemse last featured for the Stormers against Benetton in late October due to a hamstring injury.
Willemse will be making his 100th start for the Cape side.
The backline will see the Springbok halfback pair of Feinberg-Mngomezulu and veteran Cobus Reinach start, while Willemse will team up with Wandisile Simelane in the midfield.
Up front, Ali Vermaak starts at loosehead prop, while there is also a switch in the second row as JD Schickerling joins captain Salmaan Moerat at lock.
The only change to the loose trio sees Ruan Ackermann start at openside flank as Paul de Villiers joins Adre Smith, Ruben van Heerden, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Sazi Sandi and Lukhanyo Vokozela.
DHL Stadium,” said John Dobson. “It should be an incredible experience for everyone there.”
“We know that we will need to be at our absolute best throughout the game to come away with the result, so it is a challenge that every player and management member is looking forward to.”
Stormers – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Bench: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Ruben van Heerden, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee.
Meanwhile Vodacom Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has made several changes to the side that lost to the Sharks in Durban two weeks ago.
Ruan Nortje replaces JF van Heerden in the second row, while in the back row, Marco van Staden starts at openside flank with Jeandre Rudolph moving to No 8.
Among the backs, Embrose Papier moves to the bench with ex-Stormers player Paul de Wet starting at scrumhalf, while Canan Moodie slots in at outside centre with Harold Vorster dropping out.
The Bulls retain a strong spine with Handre Pollard at flyhalf, David Kriel in midfield and Willie le Roux at fullback. The all-Springbok front row of Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw remains unchanged.
“We’ve assessed the Sharks game and made adjustments where needed,” said Ackermann.
Bulls – 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Bench: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Reinhardt Ludwig, 21 Nizaam Carr, 22 Embrose Papier, 23 Devon Williams.