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Former Junior Bok captain in line for Stormers debut

By @rugby365com
Friday 9 May 2025

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Former Junior Springbok captain Zachary Porthen will make his United Rugby Championship debut off the bench whilst Damian Willemse will bring up his 100th Stormers appearance against the Dragons.

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The mercurial utility back will become the 11th player to reach the milestone and at the age of just 27 the youngest to do so, when action gets underway at 18.15 on Saturday.

The match against the Welsh side will also allow fans to say farewell to prop Brok Harris, who ends his remarkable career with more Stormers caps than any other player.

Willemse will link up with Wandisile Simelane in midfield, with Ben Loader on the wing as the only other change to the starting backline.

Up front loosehead prop Vernon Matongo makes his first start and is joined in the front row by Springbok hooker Joseph Dweba, while young tighthead Zachary Porthen is set to make his Stormers debut from the replacements bench.

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Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Vernon Matongo.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Louw Nel, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Dan du Plessis, 23 Suleiman Hartzenberg.

Date: Saturday, May 10
Venue: Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 18.15 (17.15 UK & Ireland time; 16.15 GMT)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (South Africa), Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa)
TMO: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)

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