Reinach returns as Sacha drops to bench
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach makes his return from injury for the Stormers in one of several changes for their Champions Cup Round of 16 clash with RC Toulon in France on Saturday.
The Stormers will be playing for a place in the quarterfinals next week when they face the French outfit at the Stade Felix Mayol, with kick-off at 16h00 on Saturday.
Reinach partners Jurie Matthee in an all-new halfback pairing, with Imad Khan and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu on a replacements bench which also features Wandisile Simelane.
Up front, props Neethling Fouché and Oli Kebble come into the starting line-up after impressive showings in the second half against Edinburgh last weekend.
The versatile Deon Fourie reprises the role he played in the last Rugby World Cup Final by providing cover for starting hooker André-Hugo Venter.
Connor Evans starts alongside Adré Smith in the second row, while in the loose trio, Hacjivah Dayimani makes his first start since returning to the Stormers, with Ben-Jason Dixon ruled out due to a concussion picked up against Edinburgh.
Fourie is joined by Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen, JD Schickerling and Marcel Theunissen on a strong replacement bench which is sure to make a significant impact in the second half.
Director of Rugby John Dobson said that his team is ready to give it a full go in the south of France.
“We have come up against RC Toulon in this competition before, so we know that we can expect intensity for 80 minutes on the pitch.
“What will be a new experience for us is to play at the Stade Felix Mayol, which is renowned for its unique atmosphere.
“We have picked a team that we feel can sustain a significant challenge from start to finish, and we are all looking forward to what should be a great occasion for rugby,” he said.
Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Damian Willemse, 13 Ruhan Nel (captain), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Hacjivah Dayimani, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Oli Kebble.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Wandisile Simelane.
Date: Saturday, April 4
Venue: Stade Félix Mayol, Toulon
Kick-off: 16.00 CEST (16.00 SAST; 14.00 GMT)
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England), John Meredith (England)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)
NEW IN THE APP: Official World Rugby Rankings hub! Compare team rankings side-by-side, with data going back 20 years.
Download the RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!
