Neethling Fouche will captain a rejigged DHL Stormers 23 against the Sharks on Saturday, with new recruit Wandisile Simelane and a host of returning stars set to feature.
The coastal rivals renew hostilities in round 10 of the Vodacom URC at Kings Park, and Fouche leads a lineup which features a host of changes as the Stormers return after a three-week break.
He starts in the front row alongside Joseph Dweba and Ali Vermaak, while loose forwards Evan Roos and Marcel Theunissen will pack down on either side of the scrum with No 8 Hacjivah Dayimani.
Locks Adre Smith and Ruben van Heerden have retained their spots to continue their partnership in the second row.
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Flyhalf Jurie Matthee makes his first start in the URC, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Warrick Gelant slotting in at inside centre and fullback, respectively, as part of a new-look midfield pairing and back three.
The bench features fit-again lock Salmaan Moerat, who last featured in round 1 of the competition, while utility back Simelane is set to make his Stormers debut.
Head coach John Dobson said that after a month’s break, it will be vital to find some fluency as a group as quickly as possible.
“The break was good for us and it is fantastic to welcome back some top players from injury,” he added.
“We go straight into a big derby game away from home, so we understand the size of the task we face in Durban and hopefully we will be able to hit our straps as quickly as possible.”
The team will be sporting their school or club colours in a unique start to the second half of the URC this weekend, in the first of two special Origin Rounds rounds where the players’ rugby roots will be remembered and celebrated.
Stormers – 15 Warrick Gelant (Hoerskool Outeniqua), 14 Ben Loader (Reading School), 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg (Bishops), 12 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Bishops), 11 Leolin Zas (Hermanus High), 10 Jurie Matthee (Paarl Gim), 9 Paul de Wet (Paarl Boys), 8 Hacjivah Dayimani (Jeppe), 7 Evan Roos (Paarl Boys), 6 Marcel Theunissen (Grey College), 5 Ruben van Heerden (Affies), 4 Adre Smith (Oakdale), 3 Neethling Fouche (c, Grey College), 2 Joseph Dweba (HTS Louis Botha), 1 Ali Vermaak (Hentie Cilliers).
Subs: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter (Grey College), 17 Sti Sithole (Westville), 18 Brok Harris (Bastion), 19 Salmaan Moerat (Paarl Boys), 20 Ben-Jason Dixon (Paul Roos), 21 Herschel Jantjies (Paul Roos), 22 Wandisile Simelane (Jeppe), 23 Angelo Davids (Stellenberg).
Here is our team for the @Vodacom #URC Origin Round derby in Durban on Saturday.
📢 Full announcement https://t.co/sc6GiAVlVx#SHAvSTO #iamastormer #dhldelivers #FromGrassRootsToGreatness pic.twitter.com/E62PBCPtWt
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) February 16, 2024
Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix