The DHL Stormers will charge into Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium this Saturday boosted by nine Springboks in their starting XV for their Investec Champions Cup clash against reigning double champions, Stade Rochelais.
Director of Rugby John Dobson has injected fresh Bok energy into the run-on team. Warrick Gelant, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Evan Roos and André-Hugo Venter all return to the starting lineup for the 15:30 kick-off in Gqeberha.
You don't want to miss out on this one. Come watch Sacha and his teammates cook at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.
🎟️ https://t.co/3aJrMepUFq #STOvSR #inittogether pic.twitter.com/WVNsBSOuBf
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) December 9, 2025
Gelant, back to full fitness after illness sidelined him moments before last week’s 26–17 victory over Bayonne, will marshal the backfield with wings Dylan Maart and Leolin Zas flanking him like wingers chasing a perfectly weighted grubber.
Meanwhile, Damian Willemse is nursing a minor hamstring niggle and is expected to be available next week.
In midfield, Ruhan Nel reconnects with Jonathan Roche, creating a centre partnership built to cut defensive lines.
The familiar Bok combination of Feinberg-Mngomezulu and the Reinach form a scary halfback pairing.
Up front, Evan Roos, who came off the bench like a super-sub spark in Bayonne, returns to the No. 8 jersey. He unites with flankers Ben-Jason Dixon and Paul de Villiers in a dynamic loose-trio combination.
Locks JD Schickerling and captain Salmaan Moerat anchor the engine room, while Springbok props Ntuthuko Mchunu and Neethling Fouché pack down on either side of hooker André-Hugo Venter forming a front row built for trench warfare.
The bench is no less stacked. Impact players JJ Kotzé, Connor Evans, Ruan Ackermann, Imad Khan and Wandisile Simelane, all starters last week, stand ready alongside Oli Kebble, Sazi Sandi and Marcel Theunissen.
Our team for the Investec Champions Cup match against Stade Rochelais in Gqeberha on Saturday.
📢 Team announcement https://t.co/AwQYvSaNMb
🎟️ https://t.co/3aJrMeqsuY#STOvSR #inittogether pic.twitter.com/MatmwzUH31— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) December 10, 2025
Dobson says the team is ready to back up their French triumph with a performance worthy of Test-match intensity.
“It was great to win away from home, but we have to back that up now and we know that it will take a big effort against a highly physical Stade Rochelais team.
“We always get such fantastic support in Gqeberha, so we are all looking forward to what should be a big match with Test match intensity at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium,” he said.
The official matchday squad will be confirmed by EPCR at 14:00 on Friday, with changes possible under competition rules.
DHL Stormers Starting XV
15 Warrick Gelant
14 Dylan Maart
13 Ruhan Nel
12 Jonathan Roche
11 Leolin Zas
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
9 Cobus Reinach
8 Evan Roos
7 Ben-Jason Dixon
6 Paul de Villiers
5 JD Schickerling
4 Salmaan Moerat
3 Neethling Fouché
2 André-Hugo Venter
1 Ntuthuko Mchunu
Replacements:
16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Wandisile Simelane
