Stormers mix it up for the Force
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Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has made four personnel changes in the Stormers starting XV ahead of their final Super Rugby tour match on Saturday against the Western Force in Perth.
Hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi, lock Ruan Botha, flank Siya Kolisi and scrumhalf Louis Schreuder will all start this week, with prop Alistair Vermaak and loose forward Sikhumbuzo Notshe the new faces on the bench.
Notshe joins the matchday 23 this week as a replacement for Kolisi, who will start at No.6 – with Schalk Burger moving across to No.7 – in the absence of Michael Rhodes, who flew home with a hamstring tear suffered against the Waratahs last weekend.
Hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni and scrumhalf Nic Groom will provide an impact from the bench this week as the Stormers chase a second successive win on tour (after a 32-18 triumph in Sydney), before they return to South Africa for five home matches.
"We have two injury enforced changes, Siya [Kolisi] comes in for injured Michael Rhodes who has gone home, Ruan Botha comes in for Manual Carizza who is still battling with lacerations to the inside of the mouth," Coach Allister Coetzer said.
"I've rotated Bongi [Mbonambi] with Siyabonga Ntubeni, I think it appeared that Bongi has made a huge impact off the bench and its a good opportunity to give him a start again.
"We also want to make sure that Ntubeni gets a bit of a break.
"With Nic Groom and Louis Schreuder it is rotation, Nic has been doing well and has also taken a bit of knocks and bumps, and I think it's the right call"
"I would have loved to give more players opportunity, but yet again you don't want to have too many changes, you want to keep continuity.
"Because of injuries, you want to rather make sure that its not a matter of getting everyone an opportunity, but rather keeping momentum going into this game.
"Schalk will be joining us on Friday, his presence [in Shanghai for the Laureus sport awards] has been no disruption whatsoever, he missed out on one session on Thursday, but will catch-up tomorrow.
"There's no difference between No.6 and No.7 really, Schalk can play both, as well as No.8 very well, he has been outstanding in carrying ball for us, and he understands the line-outs well."
The Stormers and the Western Force have met on four previous occasions in Perth, with the men from the Cape tasting victory three times and losing by one point in 2010.
Overall, these two sides have played against each other in eight Super Rugby matches, with the Stormers winning six times and losing twice.
Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Huw Jones.
Date: Saturday, April 18
Venue: NIB Stadium, Perth
Kick-off: 19.45 (13.45 SAST, 11.45 GMT)
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant referees: Andrew Lees, Will Houston
TMO: Ian Smith
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