Sacha Leads The Stormers For The First Time
Charismatic fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will lead the Stormers into battle in their final group game of the Investec Champions Cup against Leicester Tigers at the DHL Stadium on Saturday.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu assumes the captaincy reigns for the first time as regular captain Salmaan Moerat is unavailable due to family commitments, while both Damian Willemse and Warrick Gelant are ruled out due to concussion protocols.
Utility back Wandisile Simelane will start at fullback with regular wing duo Leolin Zas and Dylan Maart either side of him.
Suleiman Hartzenberg is partnered in midfield alongside Jonathan Roche, who also makes his return from a hand injury he picked up in the Vodacom URC win against the Lions in December.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu pairs with Stefan Ungerer at halfback as Springbok Cobus Reinach continues his recovery from a knee injury sustained against the Vodacom Bulls.
After signing a contract extension during the week, eighthman Evan Roos is reunited with Ben-Jason Dixon and Paul de Villiers in what has been a formidable loose forward trio this season.
Ruben van Heerden starts alongside JD Schickerling in the second row as the Stormers return to a powerful front row unit of hooker Andre-Hugo Venter, tighthead prop Neethling Fouche, and loosehead prop Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Director of Rugby John Dobson opted for a 5-3 split with JC Mars, Imad Khan, and Luke Burger providing backline cover – Connor Evans and Marcel Theunissen covering lock and flank – and Zachary Porthen, Vernon Matongo, and the returning JJ Kotze closing out the options from the bench.
Dobson, whose side suffered a first loss last weekend to Harlequins, said that his team will be going all-out to secure a win that would guarantee their place in the Round of 16.
“The goal for us is simple – we must beat a good Leicester Tigers team to continue our journey in this competition. While we have been disrupted in some key positions, we have every faith that the players selected will rise to the occasion.
“We are back at home and determined to deliver a top performance in front of our fans. There is all to play for, not least of all the jersey that we wear and the people that we represent each week,” he said.
DHL Stormers: 15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (captain), 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Luke Burger, 23 JC Mars.
