Half-ton and rotations headline Stormers team
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Wing Leolin Zas will play his 50th match for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship encounter with Munster on Saturday.
The prolific finisher, who has scored 25 tries in his 49 games for the Stormers since his debut in 2016, will reach the milestone at Thomond Park in Limerick.
The return to fitness of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu means that Ruhan Nel moves to outside centre, with Ben Loader on the wing.
Paul de Wet starts at scrumhalf in the other backline change.
Flank Willie Engelbrecht, lock Gary Porter, hooker Joseph Dweba and prop Sti Sithole all start up front this week through rotation in the pack.
Hooker Andre-Hugo Venter and wing Angelo Davids are the only players on the replacements bench that did not feature last week.
Stormers coach John Dobson congratulated Zas on the milestone.
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“Leolin has a fantastic story, he started out as a prodigious talent who suffered a major injury setback and came back a different player,” Dobson said.
“He embodies the fighting spirit we want to play with and we are thrilled for him to reach his Stormers half-century this weekend.
“We know that we will have to lift our standards in a number of areas this weekend and the players who are coming in are all keen to make their presence felt in what will be a tough game at Thomond Park,” he added.
Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Neethling Fouche (captain), 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Clayton Blommetjies, 23 Angelo Davids.
Date: Saturday, November 18
Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick
Kick-off: 17.15 (19.35 SAST; 17.35 GMT)
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Stuart Gaffikin (Ireland), Andrew Fogarty (Ireland)
TMO: Wayne Davies (Wales)
