The captain’s armband will sit on new shoulders when flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu leads the DHL Stormers into battle against Leicester Tigers in their decisive Investec Champions Cup Round Four clash at DHL Stadium on Saturday (17h15).
With the knock-out stages shimmering just beyond the try-line, the Stormers know this is no dress rehearsal. It is a full-blooded Test of nerve, muscle and mettle — a match that demands a steady hand on the tiller and steel in the spine.
Regular skipper Salmaan Moerat is unavailable due to a family engagement, while Warrick Gelant and Damian Willemse are sidelined under concussion protocols. Into that breach steps Feinberg-Mngomezulu, promoted from tactician to field general, entrusted with steering a side that has everything to play for and nothing to hide.
New spine, familiar bite
Wandisile Simelane slots in at fullback, linking with wings Leolin Zas and Dylan Maart. Suleiman Hartzenberg shifts into midfield alongside Jonathan Roche, who returns from the hand injury he suffered in last year’s Vodacom URC win over the Lions — a timely reinforcement as the Stormers reshuffle their backline chessboard.
At halfback, Feinberg-Mngomezulu partners Stefan Ungerer, with Cobus Reinach still rehabbing a knee injury sustained against the Bulls. The bench backs JC Mars, Imad Khan and Luke Burger, wait like finishers on the final lap, ready to inject pace and punch.
Up front, the loose trio of Evan Roos, Ben-Jason Dixon and Paul de Villiers reunites, a combination that promises bruising carries and relentless breakdown pressure. Ruben van Heerden and JD Schickerling anchor the engine room, while Connor Evans and Marcel Theunissen loom as second-half impact players.
The front row features hooker André-Hugo Venter between Springboks Neethling Fouché and Ntuthuko Mchunu. On the replacements bench, JJ Kotzé returns from injury, joined by props Vernon Matongo and Zachary Porthen to provide fresh ammunition for the late exchanges.
Dobson: “All to play for”
Director of Rugby John Dobson made it clear that the Stormers will empty the tank in pursuit of a Round of 16 ticket.
“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.”
Dobson added that home ground advantage must translate into ruthless execution.
“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.”
With Feinberg-Mngomezulu calling the shots, the Stormers’ playbook may look slightly different, but the intent remains the same. This is knockout rugby in everything but name, and Cape Town will expect nothing less than a full-throttle performance.
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.
