STORMERS PICK NINE BOK STARS FOR GQEBERHA TRIP

THERE are nine Springboks in the Stormers starting line-up for their Champions Cup encounter with La Rochelle at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.

Warrick Gelant, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Evan Roos and Andre-Hugo Venter all return to the run-on side for the clash in Gqeberha. Gelant has recovered from the illness which saw him ruled out against Bayonne last week and will have wings Dylan Maart and Leolin Zas with him at the back.

Ruhan Nel is also back in the starting span and forms a midfield partnership with Jonathan Roche, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Reinach the halfback pairing.

Evan Roos starts this week after providing impact from the bench in Bayonne and resumes his combination with flanks Ban-Jason Dixon and Paul de Villiers.

JD Schickerling starts alongside captain Salmaan Moerat in the second row, while up front Venter starts with Bok props Ntuthuko Mchunu and Neethling Fouche either side of him.

The replacements bench includes the likes of hooker JJ Kotze, lock Connor Evans, loose forward Ruan Ackermann, scrumhalf Imad Khan and utility back Wandisile Simelane, who all started in Bayonne last week. They are joined by props Oli Kebble and Sazi Sandi, and loose forward Marcel Theunissen.

Coach John Dobson said that his team is looking to build on their 26-17 win over Bayonne last week.

Dobson wysed: “It was great to win away from home, but we have to back that up now and we know that it will take a big effort. We are looking forward to what should be a big match with Test match intensity at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.”

Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Wandisile Simelane