The DHL Stormers have sharpened their blades for a high-stakes coastal collision, welcoming three Springbok generals back into their backline for Saturday night’s Vodacom URC derby against the Sharks at a sold-out DHL Stadium.
Cobus Reinach Photo: Stormers
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, inside centre Damian Willemse and fullback Warrick Gelant all return to the starting XV, injecting pace, polish and big-match temperament into a Stormers side bracing for a bruising derby that kicks off at 19h30.
Warrick Gelant
Reinach links up with captain Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in a Bok halfback pairing that promises tempo and daring. Willemse slots into midfield alongside Wandisile Simelane, while Gelant marshals the backfield, flanked by the finishing power of Leolin Zas and Suleiman Hartzenberg.
Up front, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Neethling Fouché and André-Hugo Venter anchor the front row, with Connor Evans and JD Schickerling locking things down behind them.
There is a single tweak to the loose trio: Marcel Theunissen comes in at No.8, with Evan Roos rested as a precaution after a minor groin strain. The bench blends impact and versatility, including Imad Khan and Jurie Matthee, while forwards Sazi Sandi, Salmaan Moerat and Louw Nel add ballast.
Director of Rugby John Dobson believes the stage is set for another epic chapter in the coastal rivalry.
“This is our third and final home derby of the season and we are set for another blockbuster in front of a huge crowd.
“These are the matches that players, coaches and fans live for and we know that it will take a big performance to get the result.
“We have some quality players coming into the team and they will all need to hit the ground running and bring plenty of intensity.
“It is fantastic to have the likes of Cobus, Damian and Warrick back in the mix and we are also excited to see what the likes of Marcel and Louw can do given this opportunity.”
With Bok pedigree lighting the fuse and derby intensity guaranteed, the Stormers will look to turn DHL Stadium into a cauldron—where every tackle lands like a thunderclap and every break threatens to split the Sharks’ defence wide open.
Team Line-ups
DHL Stormers:
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (c), 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu
Replacements:
16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Ruben van Heerden, 21 Louw Nel, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Jurie Matthee
