As expected DHL Stormers coach John Dobson has rotated his selection and come up with a playing 23 with an exciting blend of experience and youth for Saturday’s fourth round Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with the Scarlets at DHL Stadium.
In all there are 11 changes to the side that started the 49-12 Investec Champions Cup win over the Bristol Bears last weekend, including a positional switch for Evan Roos, who moves from No 8 to blindside flank to accommodate the return of Hacjivah Dayimani at No 8.
One of the 11 changes features a player who did end up starting, Wandisile Simelane, after the announced captain and outside centre Ruhan Nel was forced to withdraw on the day of the game.
Nel is not being risked in this game by Stormers director of rugby John Dobson, so Simelane continues in the No 13 jersey, while Springbok flanker Paul de Villiers fills the role of the captain that was announced at the press conference for the first time as he backs up the leadership position he assumed at the 11th hour last week.
With national captain Siya Kolisi being rested for this game and Roos changing position, De Villiers is the only looseforward who continues in the same position he occupied last week. The new back row will play behind a new look second row of Riley Norton and Connor Evans, while there has also been a wholesale change to the front row.
The exciting news is that two young players, Markus Muller and Haashim Pead, will be making their first starts for the Stormers, with Muller coming in as the inside centre in partnership with Simelane. He replaces Jonathan Roche.
The two wings are the same, but Warrick Gelant is back as the starting fullback after playing off the bench last last week, a change that allows Springbok first choice fullback Damian Willemse to take the weekend off.
Quite a few of the top Stormers Boks are being rested, including strongman tighthead Wilco Louw for the second week in a row, Kolisi and Willemse, but there are still enough experienced players in the match day 23 for the selection of so many youngsters not to be too much of a risk for Dobson.
For instance, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is there as the starting flyhalf, meaning he will be a calming head alongside Pead, and also Muller on his immediate outside, while Bok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach is on the bench to help young Yaqeen Ahmed should the pair of reserves end up on the field at the same time.
Deon Fourie is also among the reserves, and so are the two regular starting locks Adre Smith and JD Schickerling, so it is a very powerful bench, including as it does another Bok in tighthead prop backup to Zachary Porthen, Neethling Fouche.
But there is also the injection of youth among the front row reserves, with double World Junior Championship winner Olly Reid the backup loosehead prop this week.
There is also a first appearance of the season for young hooker Lukhanhyo Vokozela, who impressed in his games last year. His selection is built around the uncertainty surrounding another hooker, JJ Kotze, who was red carded last week and then suspended in a subsequent disciplinary hearing but the Stormers are fighting the three match suspension verdict.
A hearing will be conducted later on Wednesday after the Stormers announced that they didn’t accept the ruling.
DHL STORMERS TEAM: Warrick Gelant, Seabelo Senatla, Wandisile Simelane, Markus Muller, Leolin Zas, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Haashim Pead, Hacjivah Dayimani, Evan Roos, Paul de Villiers (captain), Connor Evans, Riley Norton, Zachary Porthen, Andre-Hugo Venter, Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: Lukhanyo Vokozela, Olly Reid, Neethling Fouche, Adre Smith, JD Schickerling, Deon Fourie, Cobus Reinach, Yaqeen Ahmed.