Damian Willemse has played every position in the DHL Stormers backline but it is hard to recall him ever playing for them in the jersey that he will wear against Edinburgh on Saturday - the No 14 signifying right wing.
The versatile Springbok has played on the wing late in games at both international level and franchise level as a replacement, but the round 14th Vodacom URC clash with Sean Everitt’s team at DHL Stadium will be a first. Willemse replaces the injured Seabelo Senatla on the wing, and with Warrick Gelant back at fullback after resting against the Dragons last week, together with Leolin Zas that makes a potent and potentially lethal attacking back three.
Stormers director of rugby has been liberal in rotating this week, with an all new front row starting this game as Sazi Sandi wears the No 3 as the starting tighthead on the occasion of his 50th senior game for a club he joined as an 18-year-old straight out of St Andrews College in what was then Grahamstown. Andre-Hugo Venter is rotated with JJ Kotze at hooker while Ntuthuko Mchunu returns as the starting loosehead for Vernon Matongo.
Matongo is rested completely this week as Oli Kebble will be the back-up loosehead on the bench. There’s also change to the back row, with Paul de Villiers and Ben-Jason Dixon both back in the starting team after they played off the bench last week. This week Deon Fourie and Hacjivah Dayimani will be playing the role of impact subs.
Most of the changes have been made to a pack that has been dominant against all comers over the past few weeks, with Dobson making use of the depth he has in that area. For Instance, there’s no Marcel Theunissen even on the bench this week but he was excellent in recent games and started against both the Vodacom Bulls and the Dragons. Connor Evans, who can play lock and blindside flank if required, is back among the six bench replacements as Dobson opts for a six/two split between forwards and backs.
Apart from Gelant returning at fullback for Willemse to shift to wing, the only other change at the back is the return of Stefan Ungerer at scrumhalf. Imad Khan, who was good last week, is not featuring in this game at all as Dewaldt Duvenage is the backup scrumhalf. With Cobus Reinach set to return in the Investec Champions Cup game against Toulon next weekend, it will be interesting to see which scrumhalves Dobson takes to France.
DHL Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Damian Willemse, Ruhan Nel (captain), Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Stefan Ungerer, Evan Roos, Ben-Jason Dixon, Paul de Villiers, JD Schickerling, Adré Smith, Sazi Sandi, André-Hugo Venter, Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: JJ Kotzé, Oli Kebble, Neethling Fouché, Connor Evans, Deon Fourie, Hacjivah Dayimani, Dewaldt Duvenage, Jurie Matthee.