Peter GrantDHL StormersPeter Grant will start at flyhalf for the DHL Stormers – against the Force at DHL Newlands on Saturday (kick-off 17:05 SA Time) – in what will be his 100th match for the Vodacom Super Rugby franchise.

Grant moves from inside centre to the No 10 shirt in one of five changes to the starting line-up that went down 12-28 to the Bulls in Pretoria last weekend and will become just the third-ever DHL Stormers Super Rugby centurion.

Grant follows in the footsteps of Andries Bekker (105) and Jean de Villiers (104) in playing 100 matches for the DHL Stormers, having first played for Western Province in 2004 and making his Stormers debut in 2006.

With Grant set to join the ‘100-Club’, prop Brok Harris will make his 200th appearance for Western Province Rugby on Saturday – having amassed 92 DHL Stormers caps and making another 107 appearances for Western Province. Harris made his WP debut in 2006 and his Super Rugby debut for the Stormers in 2007.

Grant’s shift from No 12 to No 10 is one of two positional changes to the starting line-up this weekend – the other seeing Damian de Allende move from the right-wing to inside centre.

Other changes to the starting line-up to face the Force this week see the return – from injury – of lock Michael Rhodes and winger Kobus van Wyk, whilst Deon Fourie will start at hooker in place of the injured Scarra Ntubeni.

Rhodes replaces debutant Jean Kleyn in the No 4 shirt, whilst Van Wyk’s return in the No.14 jersey has allowed De Allende to move back into the midfield against the in-form Australian franchise.

Kleyn, meanwhile, drops to the bench this week, where he is joined by flyhalf Kurt Coleman who started against the Highlanders and the Bulls.

Hooker Stephan Coetzee, prop Martin Dreyer, loose forward Siya Kolisi, scrumhalf Dylon Frylinck and utility back Michael van der Spuy make up the remainder of the bench, with Frylinck still on debut should he get a run this week.

The DHL Stormers have given Schalk Burger until Friday’s captain’s practice to prove his fitness for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash with the Western Force at Newlands.

Burger was named in the Stormers team and was the man sitting in at the lunch time press conference as the captain, but he didn’t take part in the training session in the morning and Siya Kolisi is standing by to play in his place. According to coach Allister Coetzee, flanker Rohan Kitshoff will come onto the bench if Burger isn’t cleared to play.

“It is touch and go at the moment and my back is a bit sore and bruised at the moment,” admitted Burger.

Duane Vermeulen, who is being rested from training this week, will replace Burger as captain should he not come through Friday’s run.

 

DHL Stormers: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger (Captain), 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Brok Harris
Replacements: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 Martin Dreyer, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Dylon Frylinck, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Michael van der Spuy.

4 Responses to Super Rugby: Stormers – Grant at No 10 for his TON against the Force

  • 1

    I actually dont think Grant playing is a disaster. the old stormers gameplan could suit them vs the force who play a defensive style that capitalises on mistakes. best way to counter that is by not taking risks… however if schalk is injured the stormers are farked.

  • 2

    If Grant was a Kiwi or an Aussie he would not have played a single super rugby match never mind a hundred.

  • 3

    @1

    @ MacroBull:

    How are they going to get out of their own half of the field with Grant who cannot kick the ball further than 20 meters and with them most certainly losing every second lineout on their own throw as “Wild Thing” Fourie will be throwing the ball in. It is going to be a very long afternoon in CT unless the Force are totally off their game.

  • 4

    @ robzim:
    ye the stormers will be against it. I don’t know lol be more positive. deon cant be so bad every game. schalk can still spark something and taute needs to take more responsibility with some clearance kicks? He used to have a good boot.

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