Milestone for Malherbe as Stormers eye unbeaten run
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Tighthead prop Frans Malherbe will become the most-capped Stormers player when he runs out at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday.
The United Rugby Championship encounter with Cardiff on Saturday will mark Malherbe’s 124th appearance for the Stormers, to go past the great Schalk Burger.
He will run out alongside Steven Kitshoff, who reaches 122 Stormers caps and is poised to move past Burger in the near future.
The experienced front-row made his Stormers debut in 2011 and also has 54 Springbok caps to his name.
Malherbe and Kitshoff start either side of fellow Springbok Joseph Dweba, with Kwenzo Blose, JJ Kotze and Brok Harris backing them up from the replacements bench.
Adre Smith starts alongside Marvin Orie in the second row, with Ernst van Rhyn taking the captaincy in a start at blindside flank and Nama Xaba and Hacjivah Dayimani rounding out the loose trio.
There are just two changes to the backline, with scrumhalf Godlen Masimla and wing Suleiman Hartzenberg coming into the starting line-up.
Paul de Wet and Sacha Mngomezulu provide cover from a replacements bench which also features Ben-Jason Dixon, Willie Engelbrecht and Junior Pokomela, who are sure to make an impact in the second half.
Stormers Head Coach John Dobson said that Malherbe’s achievement cannot be taken for granted.
“What Frans has achieved at the age of just 31 is incredible, if you think about some of the players who represented this team before him.
“He is a great example of a top team man and just his presence in the squad this week has given us a lift,” he said.
Dobson said that it will take big effort to get the result in Cardiff.
“We are looking forward to seeing how some of our combinations develop and the way the team responds at what is a renowned rugby venue against a home team with some momentum,” he said.
Stormers: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Alapati Leuia, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 6 Nama Xaba, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Adre Smith, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Willie Engelbrecht, 21 Junior Pokomela, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Sacha Mngomezulu.
Date: Saturday, October 22
Venue: Arms Park, Cardiff
Kick-off: 19.35 (20.35 SA time; 18.35 GMT)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Simon Rees (Wales), Carwyn Williams (Wales)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)
When he runs out at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday @fransmalherbe will become the most-capped DHL Stormers player of all time. A true ⛈️ legend.
1⃣2⃣4⃣ Frans Malherbe
1⃣2⃣3⃣ Schalk Burger
1⃣2⃣2⃣ Steven Kitshoff#iamastormer #dhldelivers #franna #ekwilfrans pic.twitter.com/YteY9Qx37f— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) October 21, 2022
