The DHL Stormers will be hunting a victory against Munster at 18:15 (SA Time) on Saturday to remain in second place on the Vodacom United Rugby Championship log.
As things stand, the DHL Stormers, in second place on the log, are guaranteed a home quarter-final, but they will have to fend off third-placed Ulster, who trails by only two log points, in the last two league rounds to remain in a favourable position for a possible home semi-final if they advance to the top four.
The DHL Stormers, meanwhile, will be bracing themselves for a humdinger against the fifth-placed Munster at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, where the hosts will be looking to cling onto second place on the table, while Munster will be hoping to keep alive their hopes of lunging into the top four for a possible home quarter-final in the last two league rounds.
The Capetonians will look to build on their better attacking record with 47 more points scored than their opponents this season and to continue their unbeaten run at home in the competition, but Munster will draw comfort from the fact that they are the second-best defensive team in the competition, with an average of just over 19 points conceded per match.
There are three changes to the DHL Stormers’ starting forward pack and one in the backline.
The only change to the backline sees Paul de Wet start at scrumhalf in a rotational switch with Herschel Jantjies, who will feature off the replacements bench.
In the forward pack, Ruben van Heerden partners Marvin Orie in the second row, while Hacjivah Dayimani and Willie Engelbrecht join Ben-Jason Dixon to form the loose trio.
Loose forward Evan Roos is also set to make his return from injury from the replacements bench.
DHL Stormers Head Coach John Dobson said that his team are looking forward to playing at home as they look to make it 20 consecutive wins at DHL Stadium.
“We have had some incredible support at home this season and we know that it will be another special atmosphere on Saturday.
“This is a great opportunity for us to build some momentum as we head towards the playoffs and with DHL Western Province playing first it promises to be another memorable double-header,” he said.
There are five changes to the Munster side that were beaten by Sharks in Durban two weeks ago.
Loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman has recovered from a thigh injury and makes his first appearance since December in an all-changed front row.
Hooker Diarmuid Barron and tighthead prop Stephen Archer also come into the pack along with flanker Alex Kendellen.
There is one change to the backline as Conor Murray starts at scrum-half.
RG Snyman makes his second start in-a-row and his first URC start since his Munster debut in August 2020.
Mike Haley starts at full-back with Calvin Nash, who made his 50th appearance last time out, and Shane Daly on either flank.
Malakai Fekitoa and Antoine Frisch continue their centre partnership with Murray and Jack Crowley in the half-backs.
Loughman, Barron and Archer pack down in the front row with Jean Kleyn and Snyman in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony, Kendellen and Gavin Coombes complete the starting XV.
Scott Buckley, Keynan Knox, Ben Healy and Keith Earls come into the squad as replacements.
Earls is in line for his 199th Munster appearance and his first since the win in Ulster on New Year’s Day after recovering from a calf injury.
On the injury front, Dave Kilcoyne was not available for selection this week.
Teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Steven Kitshoff (c). Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Clayton Blommetjies.
Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Antoine Frisch, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Shane Daly, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 Alex Kendellen, 6 Peter O’Mahony (c), 5 RG Snyman, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Diarmuid Barron, 1 Jeremy Loughman. Replacements: 16 Scott Buckley, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Keynan Knox, 19 Fineen Wycherley, 20 Jack O’Donoghue, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Ben Healy, 23 Keith Earls.