DHL Stormers coach John Dobson has called out his front row big guns for Saturday night’s final Vodacom Rugby Championship tour game against Cardiff in the Welsh capital.
Springbok looshead Steven Kitshoff played off the bench last weekend in the drawn game against Ospreys in Swansea but this week he is joined by his long time Stormers and national team teammate Frans Malherbe.
The Bok tighthead will start alongside Kitshoff and fellow Bok Joseph Dweba in what will be his 124th game for the Stormers, with this cap taking him past the legendary Schalk Burger to become the most capped Stormers player of all time. Kitshoff has 122 caps and is also poised to move past Burger in the not too distant future.
Dobson has again made several changes to his starting team, with an all new front row and a second row that has one change in it, with Adre Smith returning to partner Marvin Orie in place of Salmaan Moerat. With Moerat not playing, the captaincy has gone to Ernst van Rhyn, who returns to the team as blindside flank.
Hacjivah Dayimani moves to No 8 in place of Evan Roos, with Nama Xaba continuing at openside flank. Most of the changes are at forward, with just two being made at the back, where Suileman Hartzenberg and Godlen Masimla come into the starting line-up. Paul de Wet and Sacha Mngomezulu will provide the back cover on the bench as the Stormers again go for a six/two split between backs and forwards.
Ben-Jason Dixon is the lock cover for Smith and Orie, with Junior Pokomela and Willie Engelbrecht covering loose-forward. Of course Dixon can also play blindside flank in addition to lock.
DHL Stormers team: Clayton Blommetjies, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Alapati Leuia, Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas, Manie Libbok, Godlen Masimla, Hacjivah Dayimani, Ernst van Rhyn (captain), Nama Xaba, Marvin Orie, Adre Smith, Frans Malherbe, Joseph Dweba, Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: JJ Kotze, Kwenzo Blose, Brok Harris, Ben-Jason Dixon, Junior Pokomela, Willie Engelbrecht, Paul de Wet, Sacha Mngomezulu.