Stormers Name Springbok-Heavy Side For Ntubeni Farewell And Solomon Tribute

Veteran hooker Scarra Ntubeni has earned a starting berth for what could be his final outing in a DHL Stormers jersey at DHL Stadium on Saturday.

The matchday squad to face Connacht this Saturday is stacked with international pedigree, featuring 10 Springboks in the starting XV.

The Vodacom URC encounter kicks off at 13:45. Beyond the playoff implications, the afternoon will serve as a poignant tribute to legendary team manager Chippie Solomon, who passed away suddenly last week.

Currently sitting second on the Vodacom URC standings, the Stormers are on the verge of securing a playoff spot, pending results elsewhere this weekend. The club has also issued a rallying cry to the faithful, needing 45,000 fans across their final two home games to break the league’s regular-season attendance record.

The Pack

The front row features an all-Springbok combination, with Ntubeni flanked by props Zachary Porthen and Ntuthuko Mchunu. This match marks a significant milestone for Ntubeni, who retires at the end of the campaign after 15 loyal years with the franchise.

JD Schickerling and Adré Smith retain their partnership in the second row, while the fit-again Ruben van Heerden returns via the replacements bench. The loose trio is equally formidable and entirely comprised of Boks, with Evan Roos joined by flanks Deon Fourie and Ben-Jason Dixon.

The Backline

The sole change to the backline that narrowly lost to Toulon a fortnight ago sees Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu start at fly-half, partnering with scrum-half Cobus Reinach.

The bench offers immense depth with forwards André-Hugo Venter, Oli Kebble, Neethling Fouché, Marcel Theunissen, and Paul de Villiers. Stefan Ungerer and Wandisile Simelane provide the backline cover.

From the Director of Rugby

Director of Rugby John Dobson emphasized the emotional and competitive significance of the fixture.

“Everyone at the club wants to celebrate Chippie’s life and make this a special occasion to pay our respects,” Dobson said.

“However, we won’t let that distract us from the task on the field. This is a crucial game for our season against a strong Connacht team fighting for their own playoff survival. It requires a clinical performance as we push for home advantage in the knockout phase.”

DHL Stormers Team to Face Connacht:

Starting XV: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Damian Willemse, 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 Deon Fourie, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.

Replacements: 16 André-Hugo Venter, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Neethling Fouché, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Wandisile Simelane.