Stormers bring in Springboks ahead of Champions Cup opener
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Stormers defence coach Norman Laker has revealed that the Cape Town franchise has received a significant pack boost ahead of their Champions Cup opener against Bayonne on Friday night.
Three of the Stormers’ six Springboks – props Zach Porthen and Ntuthuko Mchunu, and versatile forward Ben-Jason Dixon – have joined the squad in Biarritz, giving the team extra firepower up front.
Porthen has featured in three Bok matchday 23 line-ups on tour, while Dixon played in two, including a brief 20-minute appearance against Italy following Franco Mostert’s red card. Mchunu, meanwhile, is yet to make his Stormers debut.
Damian Willemse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Cobus Reinach have returned to Cape Town after the five-match November tour.
#WATCH as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus gives a brutally honest assessment of star flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s game. 👇#SouthAfrica #Springboks https://t.co/dgS0E7zSiJ
— Rugby365 (@rugby365com) December 1, 2025
“We took the issue of which Boks would play for us in this game on a case-by-case basis, meaning we looked at the individual workload on the Bok tour,” explained defence coach Norman Laker.
“Someone like Sacha has been with the Boks for a month now. We only had a one-week break before that, so it’s a long-term plan that we’ve had with certain players who’ve been with the Boks, have been with us in Europe, and then with the Boks again.”
He added: “[Porthen, Mchunu and Dixon] have joined us and are all in the selection mix.”
The Stormers carry strong momentum into Europe after a six-match unbeaten streak in the United Rugby Championship. Their last outing was a thrilling 27-21 comeback victory over Munster in Limerick, overturning a 15-point deficit to snatch the win.
Despite Munster dominating early on and leading 21-6 at the break, Stormers’ resilience and tactical adjustments turned the match around. However, poor discipline in the first half – yellow cards for Connor Evans and Marcel Theunissen – saw the team play 20 minutes down a man, something Laker is determined to avoid against Bayonne.
“It’s a new competition, and we want a good start.
“The key is staying with 15 on the field and sticking to our systems.
“If we do that, we’ll give ourselves a real chance.”
