A Springbok-powered DHL Stormers take on a star-studded La Rochelle in their first game of the season at DHL Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The champions of South Africa welcome the champions of Europe to the Mother City in what will be the first Champions Cup clash on the refurbished pitch.
Game day at DHL Stadium. ⛈️ 🟡
🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://t.co/rS8r3sLlle #STOvSR | #InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/TB43UXS5wf
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) December 16, 2023
The Stormers are fired up to log their first Champions Cup victory of the season after giving an excellent account of their depth in the first round in Leicester.
A youthful Stormers side fought valiantly but in vain as John Dobson’s troops missed out on a losing bonus point in a narrow defeat against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road in the Champions Cup in round 1.
The two-time South African Shield winners are now back at full strength, naming a starting lineup captained by Deon Fourie, who is joined by fellow World Cup-winning Springboks Damian Willemse and Manie Libbok.
English winger Ben Loader is the only player to keep his place in the lineup from last weekend’s match and he forms an exciting trio of outside backs with Warrick Gelant and Leolin Zas.
The majority of the Stormers’ matchday-23 remained in Cape Town to prepare for this blockbuster match.
However, standing in the Stormers’ way will be the two-time champions La Rochelle, who are equally hungry for a victory after an opening-round defeat to Jacques Nienaber’s Leinster.
Coached by legendary former Ireland flyhalf Ronan O’Gara, the French club have brought their best and brightest to Cape Town, which includes at least one familiar face in former Stormers winger Dillyn Leyds.
The Springbok flier is part of a La Rochelle lineup that features 12 of the 15 that faced Leinster in last season’s Champions Cup final. Only wing Raymond Rhule, No 8 and captain Gregory Aldritt and lock Romain Sazy are absent from Saturday’s match.
The Stormers are wary of La Rochelle’s power game, with the defending champions driven forward by a pack with giant Wallabies lock Will Skelton at its core.
La Rochelle, captained by hooker Pierre Bourgarit, are also able to start an all-French front row, all three of whom faced the Springboks in the World Cup quarter-finals.
In the shadow of Table Mountain, the Stormers’ first game of the campaign at DHL Stadium promises to be a cracker, with both teams looking to get back to winning ways.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images