VIDEO: Dobson drops massive Sacha selection hints
The Stormers head to London this week on an important mission: Get enough points to set them up for a chance of home ground advantage in the play-offs.
Having retained their unbeaten start to the season by sneaking a 13-8 win over the Bulls in a brutal United Rugby Championship face-off in Cape Town at the weekend, they now head into the next block of European matches – the Champions Cup Round Three and Four.
After upsetting French giants Aviron Bayonnais (26-17) at Stade Jean Dauger in Round One, the Stormers then beat two-time European champions Stade Rochelais 42-21 to top Pool Three.
On Sunday, they will run out at Twickenham Stoop to face Harlequins, before hosting English powerhouse Leicester Tigers in Cape Town a week later.
With so much at stake, Director of Rugby John Dobson faces a few intriguing selection posers.
At the top of the list is whether talisman Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be on the plane to London.
Given the 23-year-old’s below-par performance in this past weekend’s win over the Bulls, Dobson hinted that it might be time to give the Springbok superstar a break.
Having featured in 11 of the Boks’ 14 Tests in 2025, starting at No.10 in eight, including the last seven, Feinberg-Mngomezulu looked out of sorts.
His 16 carries produced just 49 metres, four defenders beaten and just one line-break.
His five ‘turnovers conceded’, as well as poor goal and out-of-hand kicking, contributed to concerns about his display.
It is no surprise Dobson is considering leaving him at home.
Fellow Bok teammate and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, with 11 Tests in 2025 and six starts in the last seven internationals, is also in need of some R&R.
Stefan Ungerer and Jurie Matthee will likely be the starting halfback combination at The Stoop.
Warrick Gelant, who last played a Test in 2022, and utility star Damian Willemse are Springboks that could feature against Quins.
It won’t be a ‘full-strength’ team that will travel to England this week.
(WATCH as Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson drops some big selections hints and the role of superstar Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will play in the next batch of European matches…..)
“It will be a team we think can win it in London,” Dobson told @JanDKrugby, adding: “Apart from our results and being unbeaten [10 games this season], the big thing has been the growth in our squad depth.
“It [the depth] is an amazing part of our project [2029].
“Not so much in the backs, where we have a lot of injuries, with four centres out [injured].
“[Utility back] Suleiman Hartzenberg was the 41st player we used this season, which is great in terms of growth.
“We have used 41 players this season, of which 23 will play against Harlequins.
“To me, that is our big thing [achievement] so far this season, apart from hanging onto an unbeaten record.
“It is going to be tough, but we worked out that we need at least a point [against Quins] to give us a chance of hosting play-off [matches].
“If you are going for a point, you might as well go for the win.”
Last season, the Stormers took a very young team to London – featuring players like JC Mars and Divan Fuller – and suffered a humbling 16-53 loss at The Stoop.
Vernon Matongo was one of several players on debut.
“This week it [the team] is going to look a bit different,” Dobson said, adding: “That is our growth.
“Project 2029 is not about winning in 2029, because we want to win now. It is about the growth in our squad.”
With Griquas loan player Dylan Maart, who is on a full-time wish list at the Stormers, and Mars will also be on the plane to London this week.
“We really want to go for the win [in London],” Dobson said, hinting that Hartzenberg is an option at centre.
Maart and Mars are the options on the wing.
“We want to host the play-offs in Europe [Champions Cup].
“[In] the URC, we have won eight out of 18 matches. That unbeaten thing can become a bit of a bogey.
“We wanted to win the local derby, but what we really want is to host [play-offs].
“As a South African team, we need to make a statement by hosting play-offs in Europe.
“We are now in a position, after our win over Bayonne [in Round One], that we can make a go of it [in the Champions Cup].
“Winning in London will be tough.”
@JanDKrugby
@rugby365com
