Stormers mix and match for Paris clash
Today at 08:00 AM
Evan Roos starts at No 8 as Joseph Dweba returns from injury in a rejigged Stormers lineup to face Racing 92 in their final Investec Champions Cup pool match on Saturday.
The Stormers travel to La Defence Arena to battle the Parisians, who are ninth in the Top 14 and haven't won any of their last five matches. The Cape contenders could qualify for the playoffs of the EPCR competition in third place in Pool 4, with a win in Paris.
Roos replaces Marcel Theunissen at the back of the scrum as one of nine changes to the run-on team that demolished Sale Sharks at Cape Town Stadium last week.
Theunissen shifts to blindside flank and Willie Engelbrecht packs down on the openside, with Deon Fourie dropped altogether.
MORE: Backs to the future for Stormers
Dweba, who has been sidelined since the end of December with a hamstring niggle, takes over from JJ Kotze at hooker to form a powerful front row with props Neethling Fouche and Sti Sithole. Skipper Salmaan Moerat links up with Ruben van Heerden in the second row.
In the backline, Clayton Blommetjies comes in for Warrick Gelant at fullback to make only his second appearance of the season, while flyhalf Jurie Matthee and scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage combine in a new-look halfback combination.
Springboks Andre-Hugo Venter, Frans Malherbe and Herschel Jantjies are set to make an impact off the bench with the likes of JD Schickerling and Jean-Luc du Plessis.
Stormers – 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Sti Sithole.
Subs: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Jean-Luc du Plessis.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The post Stormers mix and match for Paris clash appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
