Bok champs to spark Stormers
10/11/2024 05:29 AM
Damian Willemse will run out at flyhalf, while Warrick Gelant gets his first start of the 2024-25 Vodacom URC as the DHL Stormers look to end their tour on a high in Edinburgh on Saturday.
The Stormers showed immense patience to beat Zebre with a bonus point in Parma last week, after opening their season's campaign with a defeat to Welsh outfit the Ospreys two weeks ago.
Willemse shifts to No 10 in place of Jurie Matthee, with fellow Springbok world champion Gelant filling the gap at fullback.
Matthee drops out of the matchday 23, along with right winger Suleiman Hartzenberg, so Angelo Davids is promoted to the starting XV after a try-scoring cameo off the bench in Italy.
WATCH: Stormers electrify Edinburgh
In the forwards, Brok Harris and Andre Hugo-Venter replace loosehead prop Sti Sithole and hooker Joseph Dweba in the run-on lineup, while Dave Ewers returns at openside flanker at the expense of Marcel Theunissen.
Sithole and Theunissen are set to make an impact with Stefan Ungerer if they take the field at Hive Stadium, as are JJ Kotze, Willie Engelbrecht and Wandisile Simelane, who are in line for their first URC appearances of the season.
John Dobson's charges are acutely aware that points away from home have proven to be invaluable in the competition but have never lost to Edinburgh, with the Stormers winning the last three matches between the teams and playing to a 20-20 draw in 2021.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
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