There are two big events on the opposite end of the age or experience scale that mark the DHL Stormers’ selection for Friday night’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship showdown with Edinburgh in the Scottish capital.
Siya Kolisi, as he was expected to do after joining up with the Stormers in Galway last week and watching their game from the sidelines, makes his return to a team he last played for in 2021.
Unlike back then, the Springbok captain will not lead the team this time, with the highly efficient and charismatic Ruhan Nel continuing in his role, and he is the appointed club captain.
However, just having Kolisi back, and knowing what he has achieved as a rugby player at international level, should be a massive boost for the Stormers, who go into the game without any of their other current Boks with the exception of Ntuthuko Nchunu, who did not go to Baltimore with the Boks for the last Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry test.
It was hoped Ben-Jason Dixon, who was with the squad last week in Galway but did not play, would be ready to play against Edinburgh, but clearly there is still caution around his concussion return-to-play protocols because he is not in the Stormers matchday 23.
Instead, with Riley Norton moved back to the second row where he was slated to start last week before the late withdrawal of the injured Evan Roos meant he had to move to flank, there is a URC playing opportunity for the exciting young loose-forward Wandile Mlaba, who will play off the bench.
Here is how we will line up for the @Vodacom #URC Round Two clash in Edinburgh on Friday night.
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) October 1, 2026
📢 Full announcement https://t.co/20n1n3GPuo#EDIvSTO #inittogether pic.twitter.com/PmIwn8O7vD
Keeping with the trend of young players being blooded by the Stormers, the highly promising Junior Springbok flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed will get his first URC start in Edinburgh after making an impressive URC debut off the bench last week in Galway, where the Stormers won 29-15.
He crossed for a try that was chalked off, but it was his willingness to engage opposing defenders, something that made the Stormers backline look a lot more dangerous, that was the most noteworthy aspect of his performance.
He’s no stranger to the Stormers No 10 - he wore it in the tour game against the All Blacks on 7 August, which was quite a game to make his debut. There could arguably also be easier games to make your first URC start, but Ahmed has shown impressive maturity and the Stormers director of rugby wouldn’t have hesitated to entrust him with the responsibility.
Ahmed coming in for Jurie Matthee and Kolisi taking the No 6 from Louw Nel, who moves back to the No 7 jersey he was initially selected to play in last week, is among a few changes to the side that won against Connacht. Ahmed will be playing alongside Stefan Ungerer, who is back for Andre Warner, with Warner, on loan from the Seattle Seawolves, moving to the bench.
Vernon Matongo moves to the bench to accommodate the return of Mchunu, with Dobson continuing with the six/two split between forwards and backs that worked for him last week. Again, he has gone with four locks, with Connor Evans and Adre Smith expected to provide the second-half impact off the first-half work done by JD Schickerling and Norton.
The Stormers have never beaten Edinburgh on their 4G home field, but they did draw there in the very first season of the URC - indeed, it was on their first ever URC tour. Edinburgh are in good form after beating Ulster away last week.
DHL Stormers team: Warrick Gelant, Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel (captain), Jonathan Roche, Leolin Zas, Yaqeen Ahmed, Stefan Ungerer, Hacjivah Dayimani, Louw Nel, Siya Kolisi, JD Schickerling, Riley Norton, Neethling Fouche, Andre-Hugo Venter, Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: Vernon Paulo, Vernon Matongo, Sazi Sandi, Connor Evans, Adre Smith, Wandile Mlaba, Andre Warner, Wandisile Simelane.