Six fresh faces for the Stormers
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There are six Stormers debutants in the matchday squad to play the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday, three in the starting team and three on the bench.
Both of the wings in Johnny Kotze and Dillyn Leyds as well as tighthead prop Vincent Koch are the new faces in the run-on side.
The new faces on the bench are hooker Bongi Mbonambi – who, of course, has Super Rugby experience with the Bulls – tighthead prop Wilco Louw and outside back Huw Jones.Both Kotze and Leyds are graduates of the WP Rugby Institute and cup-winning WP Under-21 set-ups, with Leyds having had a brief taste of Super Rugby in the colours of the Western Force in 2014.
Springbok inside centre Damian will line up in the No.12 jersey for the Stormers as one of three Springboks in the starting team.
Fit-again loose forward Nizaam Carr has been named on the bench to take the squad tally of Boks to four.
Skipper Duane Vermeulen will lead the team from the No.8 position in a match which head coach Allister Coetzee describes as a 'tough assignment' and a 'great challenge'.
“It is [a tough assignment],” Coetzee said.
“But it’s been done before.”
The Stormers will start their season on the Highveld for the third year in a row – having played away to the Bulls in 2013 and the Lions in 2014 – and Coetzee added: “This is a great Bulls team – jam-packed with Springboks.
“It’s a great challenge for us, but we have prepared well and, most importantly, the players are comfortable in their roles and with their responsibilities in the team and, of course, the expectations placed on them.
“We’re looking forward to getting our campaign underway after a good pre-season and, as everyone knows, there’s no greater challenge than facing the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld – be it your first game or your last game of the season.”
Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Huw Jones.
Date: Saturday, February 14
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa), Stephan Geldenhuys (South Africa)
TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)
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