Stormers bring in fresh wings
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Injuries have been forced the Stormers into changing their wings for Saturday's North-South Derby against the Bulls at Newlands.
In total, coach Allister Coetzee has made four changes to the team that defeated the Western Force in Perth last weekend, with captain Duane Vermeulen also back in the mix.
Two of the four changes are injury enforced, with Johnny Kotze and Pat Howard (on debut) replacing the injured wing duo of Kobus van Wyk (knee – six weeks) and Dillyn Leyds (shoulder – one week), respectively.
Howard will make his Super Rugby debut, with Kotze set to win his sixth cap.
Coetzee said that Howard is more comfortable on the wing than Huw Jones who will cover on the bench.
"Huw Jones helped out there but he is never a wing and it is not his preferred position. He hates playing at wing but he will help out.
"Pat has played wing for us in the Currie Cup, and although he is a centre he is more accustomed to wing than Huw Jones, he has experience of defending in that position," he said.
Springbok No.8 Vermeulen is back from his two-week rest period and will lead the Stormers against the Bulls at Newlands.
Vermeulen missed the final two weeks of the Stormers’ Super Rugby tour as part of the SA franchises’ rest agreement with SA Rugby, but his return marks one of four changes to the starting line-up that defeated the Western Force in Perth last Saturday.
Nizaam Carr moves to the bench to make way for Vermeulen’s return to action, whilst the fourth and final change sees Nic Groom take over at scrumhalf from Louis Schreuder, who, like Carr, reverts to the bench.
Joining Carr and Schreuder amongst the replacements is prop Oliver Kebble.
Alistair Vermaak – along with Sikhumbuzo Notshe – will doing duty for the Western Province Vodacom Cup team this weekend.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s clash, Coetzee said: “It doesn’t get much bigger than a North-South Derby at Newlands, does it?
“The Bulls are the SA Conference leaders, they have six Springboks in their pack and six in their backline with three more on the bench.
"It’s a powerful team and a team that has won six out of their last seven games – we’re expecting a Test-match like battle on Saturday.
“We know we weren’t at our best last weekend, but we have had to train smartly in this short week to make the necessary improvements and adjustments in our game against this strong Bulls team.”
Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Pat Howard, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Oliver Kebble, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Huw Jones.
Date: Saturday, April 25
Venue: Newlands, Cape town
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Jason Jaftha, Francois Pretorious
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
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