DHL Stormers coach John Dobson has made four changes to his starting team for Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship ‘State of Origin’ clash with the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg.
Dobson’s team selection confirmed double World Cup-winning Springbok tighthead Frans Malherbe’s landmark 150th appearance for his franchise, with a unique feature of that achievement for an international player being that he has only ever played for one team at this level after making his debut 14 years ago.
The one and only Frans Malherbe reaches 150 DHL Stormers caps this weekend. One of the greatest to ever wear our jersey.
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) February 14, 2025
Read about his remarkable journey https://t.co/96jAPkMxTm#iamastormer #franna pic.twitter.com/IqlriUL4po
However, Malherbe will be joined by different partners in the front row from who were packing down alongside him against the Vodacom Bulls at the DHL Stadium last week.
The Stormers were subject to a bit of a mauling in the scrums, and that is an understatement, in the first half of that game and Malherbe is the only survivor from that experience.
JJ Kotze comes in as the starting hooker in place of Joseph Dweba while Ali Vermaak is back from injury to replace Sti Sithole at loosehead prop.
Neither of the two players who drop out feature on the bench, with Brok Harris, who is the most capped Stormers player ever with Malherbe second, backing up Vermaak while Andre-Hugo Venter is the reserve hooker.
The other two changes come in the backline, with Herschel Jantjies being promoted from the bench in place of Stefan Ungerer as the starting scrumhalf, and Angelo Davids coming in on the left wing for Leolin Zas, who was withdrawn from the selection mix this week due to an illness.
Paul de Wet comes back into the squad as the backup scrumhalf after sitting out the game against the team he is likely to be playing for next season.
Dobson went five/three with his split between forwards and backs against the Bulls but has returned to a six/two split this week, with Jonathan Roche as the only outside back reserve on the bench.
Of course with De Wet back among the reserves and able to play wing that makes the forward loaded split more possible.
The backline player who drops out of the reserves for this game is Clayton Blommetjies, who covered flyhalf against the Bulls.
Our team for the @Vodacom #URC Origin Round clash in Joburg on Saturday.
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) February 14, 2025
Team announcement https://t.co/Jnerc2m8vh#LIOvSTO #iamastormer #OriginRound pic.twitter.com/nR3vpCt8u8
BOOST FROM THE BENCH
The big boost for the Stormers when it comes to the bench is the return of Neethling Fouche, who was sorely missed for his presence in the match day squad against the Bulls, even if it was mostly from the psychological aspect.
Malherbe becomes the second player to reach 150 caps for the Stormers after Harris, who has 165, and predictably had praise heaped on him by his coach for his contributions to the Stormers over what is now nearly a decade and a half.
“Frans made his Stormers debut 14 years ago and has achieved so much in that time,” said Dobson.
“It is very rare these days to see someone play that long for one team, particularly a player of his stature. He has the respect of everyone he plays with and against and his contribution to the team over the years has been immense.”
Frans Malherbe linked up with students from Paarl Boys' High School to celebrate his upcoming 150th appearance for the DHL Stormers during #OriginRound 👏🤝 pic.twitter.com/8nicnlNugX
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) February 13, 2025
The Stormers director of rugby added that his team understands the magnitude of the challenge that awaits them in Johannesburg.
“We have opted for continuity this weekend and hopefully that will see us improve our performance,” he said.
“We will need to be at our best as it is always tough to win at the highveld, especially with an afternoon kick-off.”
The Stormers are going for a 𝗦𝗜𝗫𝗧𝗛 straight win in Joburg on Saturday 👀⛈ pic.twitter.com/4LwPrDFkRv
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) February 11, 2025
SCHOOL AND CLUB SOCKS
With this game being the URC’s ‘State of Origin’ round, the players will be wearing the school and club socks in the game.
It is interesting to note the strong local flavour in the schools listed alongside the Stormers players - four of the starting team are old boys of Paul Roos (Dan du Plessis, Jantjies, Ben-Jason Dixon and Kotze), while there are three old boys of Paarl Boys High (Evan Roos, skipper Salmaan Moerat and Malherbe).
Additional players schooled in the Western Cape include Davids (Stellenberg) and flyhalf Jurie Matthee (Paarl Gim), while fullback Warrick Gelant played his high school rugby nearby at Outeniqua (South Western Districts).
There’s an additional Paarl Boys alumni on the bench in the form of Paul de Wet, who sits alongside the only Bishops old boy in the squad in the form of Roche (of course Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Suleiman Hartzenberg would be in the playing group if they weren’t out injured).
The most highly represented school on the Stormers bench is actually Grey College, with Venter, Fouche and reserve loose-forward Marcel Theunissen all having received their schooling at the Springbok factory in Bloemfontein.
Gary Porter (Michaelhouse) is the only loan KZN educated player in the group of 23.
DHL Stormers team (with school in brackets): Warrick Gelant (Outeniqua), Ben Loader (Wellington College), Wandisile Simelane (Jeppe), Dan du Plessis (Paul Roos), Angelo Davids (Stellenbosch), Jurie Matthee (Paarl Gim), Herschel Jantjies (Paul Roos), Evan Roos (Paarl Boys), Ben-Jason Dixon (Paul Roos), Deon Fourie (Pietersburg), Ruben van Heerden (Affies), Salmaan Moerat - captain (Paarl Boys), Frans Malherbe (Paarl Boys), JJ Kotze (Paul Roos), Ali Vermaak (Hentie Cilliers).
Replacements: Andre-Hugo Venter (Grey College), Brok Harris (Bastion), Neethling Fouche (Grey College), Gary Porter (Michaelhouse), Paul de Villiers (Oakdale), Marcel Theunissen (Grey College), Paul de Wet (Paarl Boys), Jonathan Roche (Bishops).