The DHL Stormers will host Cardiff Rugby in a 2025/26 United Rugby Championship quarter-final on Saturday at 15:30 (SA Time). The winner will face either Leinster Rugby in Ireland or host the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions in the second semi-final on 06 June 2026.
The DHL Stormers find themselves in a precarious situation against Cardiff as they prepare to battle it out at the DHL Stadium after their 22-16 defeat against the Welshmen in Cardiff in their last outing, which has created an air of suspense around their quarter-final.
Ordinarily, there would have been no doubt that the Capetonians would have been the favourites on paper, but with a draw and defeat in their last two matches, they will be under pressure to deliver a top-quality performance to force their way to their first semi-final in the showpiece.
John Dobson’s team trump Cardiff in their attacking and defensive statistics going into the match, but history has proven that this will count for nothing on Saturday.
The visitors have struggled away from home this season, winning only three matches against teams who failed to make the playoffs, but there is no doubt that they will be charged up to register back-to-back victories against the DHL Stormers and make history by progressing to the top four.
Ruhan Nel will make his return from injury and captain the DHL Stormers. He is joined by experienced backs Seabelo Senatla and Dan du Plessis in the only changes to the starting line-up for the big knock-out clash.
Nel and Du Plessis will make their 30th start together as the centre pairing to draw level with De Wet Barry and Marius Joubert as the DHL Stormers’ most-capped midfield combination.
Senatla returns from injury to take his place on the right wing, with the starting forward pack unchanged from the last league match of the season.
Props Vernon Matongo and Zachary Porthen come onto the replacements bench, along with utility forward Ruan Ackermann, who also makes his return from injury.
Cardiff Rugby have made four changes; three changes come in the pack, with Rhys Barratt and Keiron Assiratti named in the front row, while Josh McNally returns from RAF duty to partner Rory Thornton in the second row.
In an otherwise unchanged backline, Josh Adams returns to fitness to join Cam Winnett and Jacob Beetham in a dynamic back three.
Teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel (c), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Imad Khan, 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 Vernon Matongo, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee
Cardiff Rugby: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Jacob Beetham, 13 Ben Thomas, 12 Rory Jennings, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Ioan Lloyd, 9 Johan Mulder, 8 Taine Basham, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 James Botham, 5 Rory Thornton, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Liam Belcher (c), 1 Rhys Barratt. Replacements: 16 Daf Hughes, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 George Nott, 20 Alun Lawrence, 21 Evan Lloyd, 22 Ellis Bevan, 23 Tom Bowen.