The Stormers have been bolstered by the return of three key players, including winger Seabelo Senatla, inside centre Dan du Plessis, and loose forward Evan Roos, as they prepare to face the Dragons in Cape Town on Sunday. This comes after a successful outing against the Bulls, where the team secured a 32-19 victory at Loftus Versfeld.
Return of Key Players
Senetla and Du Plessis will slot into a rejigged backline, featuring Springbok star Damian Willemse at fullback, while rookie scrumhalf Imad Khan takes over from Stefan Ungerer. Khan will form a promising halfback partnership with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, as the Stormers look to continue their upward trajectory at the DHL Stadium.
Up front, Roos returns from injury, with Marcel Theunissen shifting to the flank after a strong game against the Bulls. Veteran fetcher Deon Fourie retains the No 6 jersey, having made a successful comeback from a long-term injury. There are two changes to the starting front row, with loosehead prop Vernon Matongo and JJ Kotzé drafted into the starting line-up.
Stormers’ Director of Rugby Comments
According to Stormers’ director of rugby John Dobson, it is vital for the team to back up their win in Pretoria with a strong display at home. As explained on the United Rugby Championship website, teams must maintain consistency to succeed in the competition.
Dobson said: “We are back at DHL Stadium this week and want to make that count. Last week’s performance was very encouraging, but we need to build on that and keep moving forward. We have some quality players coming back into the mix and we are excited to see how some of the combinations go in what should be a tough game against a good Dragons side.”
The Stormers will be looking to build on their current momentum, having moved up to second place on the URC table. A win against the Dragons would be crucial in maintaining their position and setting themselves up for a strong finish to the season.
Here is the Stormers’ starting lineup:
- 15 Damian Willemse
- 14 Seabelo Senatla
- 13 Ruhan Nel (captain)
- 12 Dan du Plessis
- 11 Leolin Zas
- 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
- 9 Imad Khan
- 8 Evan Roos
- 7 Marcel Theunissen
- 6 Deon Fourie
- 5 JD Schickerling
- 4 Adré Smith
- 3 Neethling Fouché
- 2 JJ Kotzé
- 1 Vernon Matongo
