Photo Credit: Gallo Images
Tafel Lager Griquas will host DHL Stormers in Kimberley this afternoon @ 16h30 in the second match of Round 5 Super Rugby Unlocked competition.
The DHL Stormers is currently 5th on the log with 8 points while the Tafel Lager Griquas is still looking for their first win of the competition and are at the bottom of the log with 2 points.
Ederies Arendse will make his 100th appearance for Tafel Lager Griquas in Saturday afternoon’s Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked match against the DHL Stormers in Kimberley (16h30).
Former Junior Springbok flyhalf Tinus de Beer is drafted into the starting line-up in swap with regular skipper George Whitehead, who will now play off the bench after starting in all previous games. Zak Burger (scrumhalf) takes over the captaincy duties from Whitehead.
Former Springbok wing Bjorn Basson – who started his senior career in Kimberley more than a decade ago – is back in the No 11 jersey and the only change in the starting pack is at loosehead prop, where Mox Mxoli gets the starting nod over Andrew Beerwinkel, who moves to the bench.
Meanwhile, Steven Kitshoff will also earn his 100th DHL Stormers cap in Kimberley on Saturday. The powerful loosehead prop, who made his debut as a 19-year-old against the Chiefs in Hamilton in 2011, will lead the DHL Stormers out at Tafel Lager Park.
There are three changes to the forward pack and two in the backline for the DHL Stormers’ first-ever match against Tafel Lager Griquas.
Neethling Fouche (tighthead prop), David Meihuizen (lock) and Marcel Theunissen (flanker) come into the starting line-up, while Blitzbok speedster Angelo Davids (wing) will make his DHL Stormers debut and Paul de Wet steps in for Herschel Jantjies at scrumhalf, who misses the match on compassionate grounds.
DHL Stormers head coach John Dobson paid tribute to Kitshoff who has been a stalwart for the DHL Stormers over the years.
“Steven is the ultimate professional and it is wonderful that he joins his old friends Siya Kolisi and Frans Malherbe as DHL Stormers' centurions," said Dobson.
“We know that playing in Kimberley is always a big test and our team is determined to put together a convincing performance up there."
Tafel Lager Griquas: 15 James Verity-Amm, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Eduan Keyter, 12 Johnathan Francke, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Zak Burger (captain), 8 Carl Els, 7 Stefan Willemse, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Adré Smith, 4 Mzwanele Zito, 3 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 2 Hendrik Luus, 1 Mox Mxoli. Replacements (from): Monde Hadebe, Andrew Beerwinkel, Madot Mabokela, Johan Momsen, Ewan Coetzee, Theo Maree, George Whitehead, Harlon Klaasen, Bandisa Ndlovu, Cameron Lindsay, Dan Kasende.
DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 David Meihuizen, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain). Replacements (from): 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Sazi Sandi, 20 Salmaan Moerat, 21 Chris van Zyl, 22 Ben-Jason Dixon, 23 Godlen Masimla, 24 Tim Swiel, 25 Michal Hazner, 26 Ruhan Nel.