Stormers get major Springboks boost after lock’s ban as star duo start against Investec Champions Cup giants

The Stormers have been boosted by the inclusion of first choice Springboks halfbacks Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cobus Reinach for Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup encounter with La Rochelle in Gqeberha.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Reinach, who is set to make his Champions Cup debut for the Cape Town-based club, are amongst nine Springboks who have been named in the Stormers’ starting XV.

Warrick Gelant, Evan Roos and André-Hugo Venter all return to the run-on side against the 2022 and 2023 Investec Champions Cup winners while Ben-Jason Dixon, captain Salmaan Moerat, Neethling Fouché and Ntuthuko Mchunu retain their starting berths after last weekend’s Round One triumph against Bayonne.

Gelant has made a full recovery from the illness which forced him to withdraw from the squad on matchday one ahead of the 26-17 victory over Bayonne last week and he is joined in the back three by wings Dylan Maart and Leolin Zas.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s and Reinach‘s inclusion in the Stormers‘ matchday squad offsets the loss of lock Adre Smith, who is serving a one-match suspension after he was sent off for a stamp against Bayonne.

Damian Willemse ruled out due to injury

Meanwhile, Springboks utility back Damian Willemse is recovering from a hamstring niggle and should be available for selection when the Stormers face the Lions in a United Rugby Championship derby in Cape Town next week.

The Stormers’ backline for their Investec Champions Cup clash with La Rochelle also sees Ruhan Nel returning to the run-on side to form a centre partnership with Jonathan Roche.

Amongst the forwards, Roos gets a start at number eight this week, after providing impact from the bench against Bayonne and resumes his back-row combination with flankers Dixon and Paul de Villiers.

In the second-row, JD Schickerling packs down alongside Moerat, while up front hooker Venter starts with Boks props Mchunu and Fouché either side of him.

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Stormers director of rugby John Dobson has also named a powerful replacements bench which includes the likes of hooker JJ Kotzé, lock Connor Evans, back-row Ruan Ackermann, scrum-half Imad Khan and utility back Wandisile Simelane, who all started against Bayonne.

They are joined by ex-Scotland international Oli Kebble and Sazi Sandi, who are the back-up props, and loose forward Marcel Theunissen.

Dobson said his troops are keen to build on their encouraging performance in France last weekend.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Stormers team to face La Rochelle

Stormers: 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

Date: Saturday, December 13
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha
Kick-off: 15:00 local (13:00 GMT)
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (Eng), Joe James (Eng)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
How to watch: SuperSport / Premier Sports / beIN SPORTS / FloRugby

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