The DHL Stormers will have everything to play for against the Glasgow Warriors today at 13:45 (SA Time) in Cape Town, with a win set to see them climb to the top of the table or remain in second place, depending on Leinster’s result, to remain in a strong position for a home quarter-final, and to make up for their disappointing defeat against Connacht last week.
With home ground advantage and the inspiration of leaping further up the table set to fuel their motivation immensely, the Capetonians will have everything to play for, but they will be wary of the fact that the visitors will be hellbent on avenging their big defeat last week against the Fidelity Securedrive Lions, and to hold onto their first-place standing, which has all the makings of a gripping encounter.
The DHL Stormers will also want to keep their impressive home-win track record intact, with only two defeats at the DHL Stadium in the competition this season, but with the tournament at a knife’s edge with a handful of teams still able to overtake them on the table in the next two weeks, and a tour to Ireland and Wales lying ahead, there will be no lack of motivation.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will play his 50th match for the DHL Stormers. Having made his debut in a Vodacom URC quarterfinal at the same venue in 2022, the mercurial playmaker reaches the half-century milestone in a table-topping clash with the Scottish team, which kicks off at 13h45 on Saturday.
There are two changes to the backline, with Damian Willemse at fullback and Wandisile Simelane starting on the right wing, with Markus Muller set to become the youngest-ever DHL Stormer when he comes off the replacements bench.
The debut for Muller will see him join Willemse as the only other player to ever pull on a DHL Stormers jersey before the age of 19.
Imad Khan and Jurie Matthee will provide further backline cover, while there are a few changes to the starting forward pack.
Flank Paul de Villiers, lock Ruben van Heerden, prop Neethling Fouché and hooker André-Hugo Venter all come into the starting line-up having featured off the bench last week.
Hooker JJ Kotzé and loose forward Keke Morabe come onto the replacements bench to join the likes of Zachary Porthen, Oli Kebble and Marcel Theunissen.
Ryan Burke will make his first start for Glasgow Warriors after the second-rower was selected for this weekend’s clash.
The former Scotland U20 international is one of 10 changes to the starting XV that ran out at Ellis Park last weekend, as Franco Smith’s men face their hosts in a meeting of the top two in the current BKT United Rugby Championship standings.
An all-new front row sees Gregor Hiddleston and Zander Fagerson start after coming off the bench in Johannesburg last time out, whilst Patrick Schickerling starts at loose-head after being rested for the opening match of the South African double-header.
Burke makes his first start in senior rugby one week on from making his Glasgow Warriors debut, partnering Alex Samuel in the engine room for tomorrow’s clash.
Angus Fraser starts at openside in the week it was announced that he has signed a contract extension with Smith’s men, joining Euan Ferrie and Jack Dempsey in an otherwise unchanged back-row.
Behind the scrum, Ben Afshar starts at scrum-half, whilst Adam Hastings has recovered from the head injury sustained against Toulon a fortnight ago to start in the number 10 jersey.
Huw Jones continues at outside centre, with Sione Tuipulotu lining up alongside him at inside centre after a cameo from the bench last time out.
Kyle Steyn returns to captain the team from the wing, as Kyle Rowe shifts to full-back to accommodate Ollie Smith’s inclusion on the wing.
The bench sees Johnny Matthews and Sam Talakai included after missing out last weekend, Nathan McBeth completing the trio of front-row replacements available to Smith and his coaching team.
Dylan Cockburn is retained amongst the replacements for the second consecutive fixture, with Jare Oguntibeju and Sione Vailanu rotating to the bench after starting at Ellis Park.
Jack Oliver and Stafford McDowall round out the replacements, the latter having scored in his last three outings in Glasgow colours.
Teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Wandisile Simelane, 13 Ruhan Nel (c), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Marcel Theunissen, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Markus Muller.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Kyle Rowe, 14 Kyle Steyn (c), 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Ollie Smith, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ben Afshar, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Angus Fraser, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Alex Samuel, 4 Ryan Burke, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Patrick Schickerling. Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Dylan Cockburn, 20 Jare Oguntibeju, 21 Sione Vailanu, 22 Stafford McDowall, 23 Jack Oliver.