Century up for Incredible Schalk
Comments
0
Springbok Schalk Burger will start his first Stormers game of 2015, and in doing so notch-up his 100th Super Rugby cap for the Cape Town outfit when they play the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday.
Burger has also been named vice-captain, as centre Juan de Jongh takes the captaincy from Duane Vermeulen – who is being rested as per the franchise agreement with SA Rugby.
Having made his debut against the Waratahs in Cape Town in March 2004, Burger joins Andries Bekker (2013), Jean de Villiers and Peter Grant (both 2014) in reaching this impressive landmark.
Stormers head coach Allister Coetzee paid tribute to the team’s “ultimate warrior”.
“I don’t think people realise exactly what Schalk went through in 2012 and 2013, first with his knee injury and then his illness,” said Coetzee.
“Schalk really is the ultimate warrior and just to get back into the game, nevermind what he has achieved since then, speaks volumes about the man’s character.”
In other changes for the Stormers, regular halfback pairing of Nic Groom and Demetri Catrakilis return at the expense of Kurt Coleman and Louis Schreuder.
Meanwhile, Nizaam Carr shifts to the vacated No.8 position with Burger taking the No.7 spot and Siya Kolisi moving to No.6
On the bench, Springbok Eben Etzebeth is included alongside Frans Malherbe and Oliver Kebble.
Mbongeni Mbonambi and Michael Rhodes make up the rest of the forwards.
Coleman and Schreuder are named in the reserves, alongside Huw Jones.
Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 17 Oliver Kebble, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Michael Rhodes, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Huw Jones.
Date: Saturday, March 28
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick-off: 19.35 (08.35 SA time; 06.35 GMT)
Referee: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)
TMO: Chris Wratt (New Zealand)
ADVERTISEMENT
