Damian Willemse will make his long-awaited return to the playing field by playing off the bench when the DHL Stormers visit Llanelli for Saturday’s 13th round Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with the Scarlets.
The Springbok utility back last played for the Stormers in the match against reigning URC champions Glasgow Warriors in October. Willemse having to leave the field halfway through with a groin injury, sustained in creating a try for his team, played a role in that rare home defeat and he hasn’t played again since then.
Clearly the reason he is playing off the bench is because Stormers director of rugby John Dobson doesn’t want to rush him back and would rather ease him back into action than risk another injury breakdown.
There also might be an element of wanting some continuity, for the last time the Stormers played was when they beat the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus.
Dobson has to some extent rewarded the players involved in that success for their form, although the long heralded return to the starting team of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is at the expense of Jurie Matthee, who moves to the bench where he is the other outside back aside from Willemse.
Apart from Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s selection at flyhalf, a position he played against the Hollywoodbets Sharks in late November but otherwise is one he has more experience of playing at international than franchise level, the other changes from the Loftus win were brought about because of injury.
They include Marcel Theunissen moving from the bench to starting blindside flank in place of BJ Dixon, who underwent surgery on his wrist this week, while 2019 Bok World Cup winner Herschel Jantjies is back in the No9 jersey as a replacement for Stef Ungerer, who was injured in the game against the Bulls.
With Suleiman Hartzenberg having to wait another week before his own return from injury, that means three changes in all to the team that won at Loftus, although the return of Willemse to the playing group is a significant boost. Dewaldt Duvenage takes up the role of backup scrumhalf this week.
'MADE THE MOST OF THE BUILDUP PERIOD'
Dobson said that while the team only arrived in Wales on Wednesday, they have made the most of the two week period building up to the match.
“It is obviously fantastic to have players like Sacha and Damian back in the group and we have made good use of the break to prepare for this game,” Dobson said.
“Scarlets have been impressive this seaon and we know that it will have to be an 80-minute performance to get the result that we need from this one.”
Assistant coach Dawie Snyman explained the selection of Willemse as a bench player and the absence of Hartzenberg by saying that there was a dual purpose.
“With Damian and Suleiman we had to be aware that they have been out for a while and that their return to play will require a limited amount of game time initially.
"In Damian’s case 30 minutes is what we are aiming for while with three injured guys coming back at the same time it might have changed the dynamic too much to include them all,” said Snyman, who added that we can expect to see Hartzenberg in action against Ulster next week.
SQUAD: Warrick Gelant, Ben Loader, Wandisile Simelane, Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomenzulu, Herschel Jantjies, Evan Roos, Marcel Theunissen, Deon Fourie, Ruben van Heerden, Salmaan Moerat (captain), Frans Malherbe, Joseph Dweba, Ali Vermaak.
REPLACEMENTS: Andre-Hugo Venter, Brok Harris, Sazi Sandi, Gary Porter, Willie Engelbrecht, Dewaldt Duvenage, Jurie Matthee, Damian Willemse.