Fleck: We’re not going to make any major changes to the Stormers
THE BANG in-form Pieter-Steph du Toit back at lock and Sevens glamour star Seabelo Senatla on the bench.
Those are two of the significant changes coach Robbie Fleck has made as the Stormers try to get back on the winning track against the Rebels at Newlands tomorrow (3.05pm kickoff ).
Du Toit will move back to lock to partner with Chris van Zyl in the second row, while Kobus van Dyk comes into the loose trio.
Cobus Wiese will make his return on the bench from injury, and in the backline, JJ Engelbrecht returns from the crocked list and moves to the left wing.
Senatla also makes his return from injury, while Raymond Rhule falls out of the matchday squad.
Fleck also said that they’re trying to keep as much continuity as possible.
The Stormers are under pressure to reach the playoffs as they’ve only won three of their nine games this season.
And as the rush to the playoffs intensify, Fleck says that they’re still “fighting” through the competition.
“We tried to minimise the changes. We wanted as much continuity as possible. We’re not going to make any major changes to the team,” Fleck said.
“We feel that we’re still fighting through this competition and we’re still going through a tough time at the moment and for us to make major changes obviously doesn’t make sense to us, we want to back the personnel in the group.”
Regarding their log position, Fleck said: “We’re still fighting, but we keep the energy up. It hasn’t been ideal. We acknowledge that. But we’re sticking together and we’re working hard.”
Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Craig Barry, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 JJ Engelbrecht, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Kobus van Dyk, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Chris van Zyl, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 SP Marais, 23 Seabelo Senatla.