Schickerling has big shoes to fill
Schickerling will make his first start for the Cape side this year in place of Springbok Pieter-Steph du Toit. The latter is being rested this week and did not travel to Buenos Aires with the rest of the squad.
Du Toit has been in fine form for the Stormers in the line-outs and in open play this year and Schickerling, who has been impressive off the bench so far this year, will have to get through a huge work load against the Jaguares.
"Pieter-Steph [du Toit] has been playing really well," said Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck via teleconference from Buenos Aires.
"We have been happy with the way he has been running the line-outs. His general work rate has also been outstanding and he has formed a really good partnership with Eben [Etzebeth]. We will miss that."
"However, in JD [Schickerling] we got one of the best up and coming locks in the country.
"He is a quality player. He is a hard worker and he is a smart rugby player.
"I am really looking forward to see how he goes. He is going to be playing against a tough pack and he just needs to do the basics really well. He needs to command those line-outs, he needs to earn the respect of the rest of the players around him and he is already starting to do that."
Fleck has pinpointed the breakdowns as one of the key areas where the game will be won and lost on Saturday and is counting on Nizaam Carr, who moved to No.8 in place of Schalk Burger, and Sikhumbuzo Notshe on the openside to dominate in that facet.
"It's a little bit of a rotation. I always indicated to [Sikhumbuzo] Notshe that I would give him another start.
"He gets this opportunity and likewise I was very happy with the way Nemo [Nizaam Carr] has been playing at No.6.
"What he [Carr] has been doing at No.6 in the last two games, he has got to take to No.8 this weekend because we are going to be seriously challenged at the breakdown and we can't be too loose in our approach.
"They are hardworking players and they are going to have to play towards the ball his weekend – on attack and defence," Fleck added.
After the Jaguares match the Stormers will have a bye before they play the Sunwolves at Newlands on April 8.
By Warren Fortune
@FortuneWarren
@rugby365com
