Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Chance for Willemse, Gelant to shine
SPRINGBOKS Damian Willemse and Warrick Gelant will finally start in the same Stormers team when they take on the Lions in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at Ellis Park today (kick-off 3pm).
The Stormers have made three changes to their backline, while the pack that started in their 20-10 victory against the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium last week will run out again, with lock David Meihuizen joining the replacements bench.
Willemse will start at inside centre, while Sergeal Petersen comes in on the right wing. Paul de Wet will start at scrumhalf, with Angelo Davids, Dan du Plessis and Herschel Jantjies all among the replacements this week.
It will be the first time Willemse and Gelant star in the same Stormers run-on side.
Head coach John Dobson has spoken at length about how he plans to use the pair. In their three URC games this year, Willemse started at full-back twice while Gelant came off the bench. Last week, Gelant started – his first since their URC defeat to the Lions in early December.
The Stormers are unbeaten this year. They came from behind to overcome the Bulls away, drew with the Sharks at Kings Park, and beat Lukhanyo Am’s men in their return match in Cape Town.
Ahead of their clash in Johannesburg, Dobson said they have focused on building on what they’ve done in recent weeks.
“Playing mid-afternoon in February
up in Joburg we know that we will have to be switched on and accurate for 80 minutes,” he said.
“We want to build on what we have done in the last few weeks and will be giving it everything to earn what would be an incredibly valuable win on the road.
“It is great to have some continuity in the forward pack and the rotations in the backline will hopefully ensure that we are able to apply some pressure for the full 80 minutes,” he said.
Dobson added that the changes to the backline should give his team impetus towards the end of the game.
“As we have said, we had a plan for Damian in these four games. He started at full-back for the first two and then came on at 12 last week, so now we are ready to start him at 12.
“Dan du Plessis was outstanding last week, but he has got a lot of game time over the last three weeks and to have him coming off the bench along with the likes of Herschel Jantjies and Angelo Davids will give us huge impact in the second half, which is so crucial up there,” he said.
STORMERS TEAM:
15 Warrick Gelant 14 Sergeal Petersen 13 Ruhan Nel 12 Damian Willemse 11 Seabelo Senatla 10 Manie Libbok 9 Paul de Wet 8 Hacjivah Dayimani 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Deon Fourie 5 Marvin Orie 4 Adre Smith 3 Brok Harris 2 Scarra Ntubeni 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Bench:
16 Andre-Hugo Venter 17 Leon Lyons 18 Sazi Sandi 19 David Meihuizen 20 Marcel Theunissen 21 Herschel Jantjies 22 Dan du Plessis 23 Angelo Davids.