Manie boost for Stormers as Fourie returns to lead

Deon Fourie will return to the rugby field after a long layoff as captain of the DHL Stormers team that tackles the Emirates Lions in a crucial Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.

The World Cup 2023 winner is one of five Springboks that return to the starting team for this game, and you can make that six into the URC team if you factor in that Salmaan Moerat made his return from his own layoff by playing in the Investec Champions Cup game, where the Stormers went under-strength against Harlequins, in London last week.

Moerat, who has captained the Boks this year, led the Stormers team last week but will play as a foot soldier, albeit a very influential one, as he celebrates his landmark 50th cap for the Stormers in this game. In terms of the first choice team that last played against Toulon a fortnight ago, Moerat comes in for Ruben van Heerden, who drops out of the match day squad to facilitate the switch of JD Schickerling from No 4 lock to No 5 and the lineout leadership responsibilities.

It was thought Van Heerden might be included on the bench alongside the other lock Adre Smith to give the Stormers a bomb squad feel to their bench, but Stormers director of rugby John Dobson has instead opted to go for a like for like replacement for Fourie in the form of young Heinrich Brussow clone Paul de Villiers instead of an extra lock on the bench.

De Villiers, who was still an age-group player this past season, made his first appearance for the Stormers off the bench against Harlequins last week and appears to be one of the Stormers newcomers to have made a point about his readiness to make a step up. At some point the Stormer are going to have to get used to the prospect of life after Fourie, and there’s no better time to blood De Villiers than during the period that Fourie is still present to offer guidance.

Perhaps the headline selection though considering that the odds seemed so heavily against him making an appearance is that of Manie Libbok at flyhalf. The Bok flyhalf clearly came through his concussion protocols following the brutal clash that poleaxed him and sent him to hospital towards the end of the Champions Cup game against Toulon two weeks ago as he will wear the No 10 jersey with another Bok pivot, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, playing inside centre.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu last played for the Stormers against the Sharks in Durban three weeks ago but was forced off before halftime after failing an HIA test. The presence of those two key playmakers in the 10/12 decision-making axis is a massive boost for the Stormers, who also have several other Boks returning from injury in this game.

Perhaps the most significant of those given the problems the Stormers have occasionally had at the breakdowns this season is Fourie, who apart from his leadership and talismanic presence will bring the welcome addition of his ball scavenging abilities against a team that should include an expert scavenger in the form of JC Pretorius.

Double World Cup winning Bok tighthead prop Frans Malherbe is also back in the starting team, while Ben-Jason Dixon has joined Libbok in getting through his concussion protocols post the Gqeberha bruiser so that he can line up at blindside flank. With Fourie on the openside and Marcel Theunissen at No 8, the Stormers have a potent back row even though Evan Roos and Keke Morabe are out injured.

The reserves feature a potent and experienced front row in the form of JJ Kotze, who was part of the Stormers team that beat the Bulls in the 2022 URC final, Brok Harris and the powerful and energetic Neething Fouche, who has been outstanding in recent weeks. But the starting trio of Ali Vermaak, Joseph Dweba and Malherbe has an equally potent look to it.

The lineouts have been a Stormers strength this season and with Dixon also returning from his concussion enforced absence, the Stormers should be well served there against the Lions.

With Herschel Jantjies back as the starting scrumhalf, there are nine Boks in the Stormers starting team for a game they have to win to get themselves out of the URC version of the relegation zone - meaning into the top eight and qualification for next season’s Champions Cup.

DHL Stormers team: Warrick Gelant, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Ruhan Nel, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Leolin Zas, Manie Libbok, Herschel Jantjies, Marcel Theunissen, BJ Dixon, Deon Fourie, JD Schickerling, Salmaan Moerat, Neethling Fouche, Joseph Dweba, Ali Vermaak.

Replacements: JJ Kotze, Brok Harris, Frans Malherbe, Adre Smith, Willie Engelbrecht, Paul de Villiers, Paul de Wet, Jean-Luc du Plessis.