Bongi Mbonambi
Head coach Allister Coetzee has announced 4 personnel changes to the DHL Stormers starting 15 ahead of their final 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby tour match on Saturday – against the Western Force in Perth (kick-off 13:45 SA Time).
Hooker Bongi Mbonambi, lock Ruan Botha, flanker Siya Kolisi and scrumhalf Louis Schreuder will all start this week, with prop Ali Vermaak and loose forward Sikhumbuzo Notshe the new faces on the bench.
Notshe joins the matchday 23 this week as a replacement for Kolisi, who will start at No 6 – with Schalk Burger moving across to No 7 – in the absence of Michael Rhodes, who flew home with a hamstring tear suffered against the Waratahs last weekend.
The only other injury-enforced change from the Waratahs game – won 32 / 18 by the DHL Stormers – is Botha in for Manuel Carizza in the No 5 jersey, with the latter still battling with a cut on the inside of his mouth.
Hooker Scarra Ntubeni and scrumhalf Nic Groom will provide an impact from the bench this week as the DHL Stormers chase a 2nd successive win on tour (after their bonus point triumph in Sydney), before they return to South Africa for 5 home matches – at DHL Newlands – in 7 weeks.
Coetzee told the www.iamastormer.com website: “I would’ve loved to have given more opportunities to more players, but we didn’t want to make too many changes.
“It’s important that we take momentum from the Waratahs match into this weekend (in what is an important match) as we look to end our tour on a high.
“We have a positive feeling in our camp,” added Coetzee.
“In Super Rugby you always need to pitch up, otherwise your opposition will knock you off your perch. We need to ensure that we show intensity and urgency against the Force, and really be up for it, before we can even think about returning to South Africa.”
The DHL Stormers and the Western Force have met on 4 previous occasions in Perth, with the men from the Cape tasting victory 3 times and losing by 1 point in 2010. Overall, these 2 sides have come up against each other in 8 Super Rugby matches, with the DHL Stormers winning 6 times and losing twice.
Saturday’s match will get underway at 19:45 AWST, which is 13:45 SA Time, and will be televised live on SuperSport 1.
DHL Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (Captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Huw Jones.
Date: Saturday 18 April
Venue: NIB Stadium, Perth
Kick-Off: 13:45 SA Time (19:45 AWST, 21:45 AEST, 11:45 GMT)
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant Referees: Andrew Lees, Will Houston
TMO: Ian Smith