Dobson: Stormers know what is at stake
A 24-MAN Stormers squad left for Wales yesterday for their final league match the United Rugby Championship.
The Stormers, who have strung together an impressive winning streak, will take on Scarlets in Llanelli on Saturday.
Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies was the big omission from the Stormers squad, who are fourth on the United Rugby Championship standings and level on 56 points with Munster and the Sharks, who are in second and third place, respectively.
Stefan Ungerer appears likely to come straight into the starting line-up in the absence of Jantjies and Paul de Wet. Jantjies is still recovering from a hand injury, while Godlen Masimla is the other travelling scrumhalf in the group.
The World Cup-winning No 9 was a late withdrawal ahead of the Stormers’ clash against Leinster after he failed to recover in time. De Wet took over as the starting scrumhalf, with Masimla on the replacements bench against the Irish team.
Ungerer, who was on loan for John Dobson’s side in the first five games of their United Rugby Championship campaign, returned to the Stormers on a short-term loan, with his two-year contract starting in July.
Having already secured a quarter-final spot, the Stormers will now look to secure home-ground advantage for their playoff match.
The Cape side have been boosted by the return of hooker Andre-Hugo Venter.
Venter sustained an injury during the Stormers’ match against Italian side Zebre, their first-ever game in Stellenbosch
Venter, who replaced Scarra Ntubeni at hooker, had to be helped off the field after picking up an ankle injury.
Dobson said that his team need no reminding of what is at stake and that they are keen to take their winning momentum into the knock-out stages of the competition.
“This is a vital game for us as we look to secure home advantage in the playoffs, so the players all understand what is at stake,” Dobson said.
“We want to end the league phase of the competition on a high, but we know that we will have to be at our best to come away with a win against a highly-motivated Scarlets side.” Stormers travelling squad: Hacjivah Dayimani, Neethling Fouche, Deon Fourie, Warrick Gelant, Brok Harris, Steven Kitshoff (captain), JJ Kotze, Manie Libbok, Frans Malherbe, Godlen Masimla, Salmaan Moerat, Ruhan Nel, Marvin Orie, Evan Roos, Seabelo Senatla, Cornel Smit, Marcel Theunissen, Stefan Ungerer, Ernst van Rhyn, Andre-Hugo Venter, Ali Vermaak, Damian Willemse, Nama Xaba, Leolin Zas*