Kolisi adds to Stormers potency
Bok stars return after Test action
SPRINGBOK captain Siya Kolisi and a swathe of his international teammates will not have a break following the Test season‚ after being named in the Stormers’ touring squad to face the Jaguares in Buenos Aires this weekend.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck is taking his strongest possible squad‚ even though their playoff ambitions are over for this year.
That means Kolisi‚ who led the Boks to a 2-1 series win over England‚ as well as Bok captain No 60 Pieter Steph du Toit who captained the Springboks against Wales in Washington‚ are in the 25-man squad.
Other current Boks in the group are centre Damian de Allende‚ props Frans Malherbe‚ Steven Kitshoff and Wilco Louw‚ hooker Bongi Mbonambi and flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe.
Junior Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat will also tour.
Although there would have been temptation to give some of the senior players a break after a taxing three weeks against England‚ Fleck is under pressure.
The Stormers have won only five of 14 games this season and the coach needs to salvage something from the season.
While making the playoffs can’t happen‚ finishing with two wins‚ against the Jaguares and the Sharks next week‚ is the goal for the Stormers.
Springbok interests are secondary‚ especially as the Stormers have a raft of injured players that were unavailable for this match.
Unable to make the trip are looseforwards Juarno Augustus and Jaco Coetzee‚ centre Dan du Plessis‚ lock Eben Etzebeth‚ fullback SP Marais‚ hooker Scarra Ntubeni‚ wing Sergeal Petersen‚ lock JD Schickerling‚ wing Seabelo Senatla‚ lock Chris van Zyl‚ scrumhalf Jano Vermaak and flyhalf Damian Willemse.
Fleck said that despite the injuries‚ his squad would be travelling to Argentina with a positive mind-set to take on the challenge ahead.
Stormers touring squad: Craig Barry‚ Nizaam Carr‚ Damian de Allende‚ Jan de Klerk‚ Jean-Luc du Plessis‚ Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ Dewaldt Duvenage‚ JJ Engelbrecht‚ JC Janse van Rensburg‚ Steven Kitshoff‚ Siya Kolisi (capt)‚ Dillyn Leyds‚ Wilco Louw‚ Frans Malherbe‚ Bongi Mbonambi‚ Salmaan Moerat‚ Sikhumbuzo Notshe‚ Justin Phillips‚ Raymond Rhule‚ Carlu Sadie‚ Ramone Samuels‚ Josh Stander‚ Kobus van Dyk‚ EW Viljoen‚ Cobus Wiese.