Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be present to front the DHL Stormers’ challenge when they return to Vodacom URC action against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday, but this time he won’t be burdened by the extra responsibility of having to captain the side.
Although the man who led the Stormers to victory in the early games of the URC season and to the top of the log, Ruhan Nel, is still not back in the team after his recovery from a long injury layoff, the Stormers' director of rugby, John Dobson, has opted to switch the captaincy to the experienced lock JD Schickerling.
It was assumed that Feinberg-Mngomezulu would sit out this game due to Springbok resting protocols but it will be recalled that he returned home from the Stormers’ October tour of Wales and Italy early so he could rest before the end of season Bok tour. He’s also sat out other games, such as the Champions Cup clash with Bayonne and the first-round game against the Lions.
Jurie Matthee played against Benetton and got the official man of the match award and will be present as back-up to Feinberg-Mngomezulu from the bench in the Johannesburg game. Dobson has opted to go for a strong team, which is a reflection of how important this clash is to the Stormers as they look to cement their place in the top four on the URC table.
There is quite a lot of continuity from the side that lost to the Sharks in Durban a month ago, with only two changes to the backline - Damian Willemse is being rested so Warrick Gelant, who came off the bench in Durban and was involved in a calamitous incident that led to a gift try to the Sharks, will wear the No15 jersey in this game.
Stefan Ungerer comes in as the starting scrumhalf for Springbok Cobus Reinach, who is out until April after undergoing a medical procedure early in February. JJ Kotze comes in to start at hooker for Andre-Hugo Venter on the occasion of his 50th game for the Stormers and is part of a completely new front row.
Oli Kebble, Venter and Neethling Fouche started the game at Hollywoodbets Kings Park but this time Ntuthuko Mchunu will be at loosehead and he is joined by Sazi Sandi on the other side of the scrum. Venter, Vernon Matongo and Zachary Porthen make up the replacement front row that will be looking to engineer a gear shift for the Stormers in the second half.
Skipper Schickerling comes in for the injured Ruben van Heerden as Adre Smith’s partner in the second row while the same back row - Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon and Evan Roos - that played against the Sharks will start at Ellis Park.
DAYIMANI RETURNS
Although Dobson has gone for a six/two bomb squad-type split between forwards and backs on the bench, this time there is a more mobile emphasis to the impact squad, with Hacjivah Dayimani returning after two seasons away to join lock Conor Evans and utility loose-forward Marcel Theunissen as the other forwards on the bench.
The highly promising Imad Khan is the backup scrumhalf but unfortunately that does not mean we will see a late-game battle between two recent Junior Springbok scrumhalf as Hashim Pead has not been included in the Lions’ match 23.
Dobson praised Kotze, with the 25-year-old having made his URC debut against Edinburgh in late 2021 at the start of a season that would see him go on to start in the Grand Final and be part of the team that won the inaugural URC title.
Dobson paid tribute to Kotzé, who has been a central figure in the squad since making his debut.
“JJ is someone who grew up supporting this team and while earning 50 caps, also managed to qualify as a physiotherapist. He is an impressive young man who has earned the respect of his teammates and opponents,” said Dobson.
DHL Stormers team: Warrick Gelant (Outeniqua), Dylan Maart (Klein Nederburg), Wandisile Simelane (Jeppe), Jonathan Roche (Bishops), Leolin Zas (Hermanus), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Bishops), Stefan Ungerer (Maritzburg College), Evan Roos (Paarl Boys), Ben-Jason Dixon (Paul Roos), Paul de Villiers (Oakdale), JD Schickerling (Paarl Gim – captain), Adré Smith (Oakdale), Sazi Sandi (St Andrews), JJ Kotzé (Paul Roos), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Maritzburg College). Replacements: André-Hugo Venter (Grey College), Vernon Matongo (Northwood), Zachary Porthen (Wynberg), Connor Evans (Bishops), Marcel Theunissen (Grey College), Hacjivah Dayimani (Jeppe), Imad Khan (Bishops), Jurie Matthee (Paarl Gim).