Feinberg-Mngomezulu to lead revamped Stormers
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu takes over the Stormers captaincy for the Champions Cup encounter with Leicester Tigers at DHL Stadium on Saturday.
The Stormers will be aiming to secure a place in the knockout stages of the competition when the Round Four clash gets underway at 17.15 (local time) on Saturday.
With regular captain Salmaan Moerat unavailable due to a family engagement and both Warrick Gelant and Damian Willemse ruled out by concussion protocols, Feinberg-Mngomezulu will lead the team for the first time.
Wandisile Simelane will start at fullback and link up with wings Leolin Zas and Dylan Maart, with Suleiman Hartzenberg in midfield alongside Jonathan Roche, who also makes his return from a hand injury he picked up in the United Rugby Championship win against the Lions late last year.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu partners Stefan Ungerer as the halfback combination with Cobus Reinach continuing his recovery from a knee injury sustained against the Bulls.
JC Mars, Imad Khan and Luke Burger are the backs on the replacements bench.
The loose trio of Evan Roos, Ben-Jason Dixon and Paul de Villiers is reunited, with Ruben van Heerden starting alongside JD Schickerling in the second row, and Connor Evans and Marcel Theunissen set to make an impact in the second half.
The starting front row sees hooker André-Hugo Venter start with fellow Springboks Neethling Fouché and Ntuthuko Mchunu either side of him, while JJ Kotzé makes his return from injury on a replacements bench that also features props Vernon Matongo and Zachary Porthen.
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.
Date: Saturday, January 17
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17.15 (15.15 GMT)
Referee: Jeremy Rozier (France)
Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (France), Benjamin Hernandez (France)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (France)