Armstrong at No.9 for Tornadoes
Ian ‘Army’ Armstrong, who boasts WP Super League experience for UCT, will start at scrumhalf for the Steinhoff Tornadoes in their second Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships match of the season – this time against the powerful Steinhoff Vishuis side from Bloemfontein.
Armstrong replaces club captain Xanti Nesi in the No.9 shirt, with Nadoes coach Tom Dawson-Squibb, wisely, not making too many changes after his team’s 38-21 opening-day win over the Madibaz earlier this week.
Zubayr Abrahams, a two-try hero on Monday night, continues on the wing for the Nadoes who have also retained the exciting centre combination of Trent Jenkinson and Justin Bijl; Jenkinson having been part of UCT’s Varsity Cup training squad earlier this year and Bijl a member of the 2008 Varsity Cup squad.
Prop Bradley van der Westhuizen, despite this being his official Nadoes debut, will captain the side with the No.1 jersey on his broad back.
The Nadoes, who are playing in their first-ever Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships, will have to be at their best against the in-form Vishuis, who travelled to Stellenbosch and beat Dagbreek 24-7 on their own turf in Round One.
The Nadoes team: 15 Mark Winter, 14 Zubayr Abrahams, 13 Justin Bijl, 12 Trent Jenkinson, 11 JP van Huffel, 10 Matthew Russell, 9 Ian Armstrong, 8 Damion Stander, 7 Brennan Wright, 6 Stuart Hablutzel, 5 Grayson Rice, 4 Tom Horne, 3 Wade Swannel, 2 Ryan Dean, 1 Bradley van der Westhuizen (captain).
Replacements: 16 Christie Laurence, 17 Simon Bergman, 18 Brett Snyders, 19 Ollie Johnston, 20 Xanti Nesi, 21 Kerrick Allenbrook, 22 Brendan Raubenheimer.
Head coach: Tom Dawson-Squibb
Manager: Justin Mitchell
Kick-off: 5pm
