These players will test the Stormers in Gqeberha
12/04/2024 04:45 AM
SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers will have their work cut out for them when they square off with French giants Toulon in Round One of the Champions Cup this weekend.
The sides come into the clash on contrasting trajectories.
Toulon are fourth in the Top 14 table and on a three-match winning streak, with wins against Perpignan, Bayonne, and Lyon.
The Stormers, on the other hand, have lost three of their last four URC matches, leaving them lagging at 13th on the table.
We take a look at the Toulon players that are expected to cause problems for the Stormers in Gqeberha.
Gaël Dréan
The 24-year-old wing has shown tremendous potential since signing for the club in 2022 and has steadily made a name for himself. He established himself as a regular starter in the 2023/24 season, starting 19 matches and scoring seven tries.
This season he has upped his game, scoring five tries in his six starts. He recently highlighted his ability to finish chances with a stunning hat-trick against Bayonne and will be a constant threat for the Stormers in the wider channels.
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Setariki Tuicuvu
Another wing, Tuicuvu has continued his stellar performances this season. The 29-year-old has featured in every match, racking up nearly 600 minutes.
The Fijian is known for his strong carries and ability to evade tackles. He has made more than 40 carries into contact this season, scoring two tries along the way.
David Ribbans
Born in Somerset West, South Africa, Ribbans knows the Stormers better than most. The England international, who qualified for them on ancestry grounds, represented Western Province at Under-19 and Under-21 level, and was even named in the Stormers squad for the 2016 Super Rugby season, though he never made an appearance in the tournament.
The burly lock moved to Toulon from the Northampton Saints in 2023 and started 2o matches last season. He is known for his impressive work on defence, making 11 dominant tackles this season.
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Enzo Herve
With Paolo Garbisi being rested for the match, Herve is expected to start at flyhalf for Toulon. The diminutive 26-year-old is no stranger to the No.10 jersey, having started five matches there and featured six times off the bench this season.
The Frenchman has scored 60 points this season, including 14 and 17-point hauls against Bayonne and Perpignan recently. He boasts an 82 percent success rate from the tee this season, so the Stormers will have to remain disciplined to avoid the scoreboard ticking over.
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Toulon's tour squad:
Forwards
Brian Alainu'uese, Léo Amettla, Teddy Baubigny, Daniel Brennan, Jules Coulon, Pierre Damond, Beka Gigashvili, Matthias Halagahu, Facundo Isa, Mickaël Ivaldi, Mattéo Le Corvec, Lewis Ludlam, Dany Priso, David Ribbans, Emerick Setiano, Kyle Sinckler and Yannick Youyoutte.
Backs
Dan Biggar, Jules Danglot, Marius Domon, Gaël Dréan, Antoine Frisch, Enzo Hervé, Rayan Rebbadj, Baptiste Serin, Jérémy Sinzelle, Mathieu Smaïli, Setariki Tuicuvu, Gabin Villière and Jiuta Wainiqolo.
