Stormers to call on Springbok reinforcements for Sharks rumble
The Stormers will be looking to bounce back from their loss to Edinburgh in their first home match of the URC season against rivals, the Sharks.
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson anticipates the involvement of Springbok players in the upcoming Sharks match in Cape Town, scheduled for Saturday. The Stormers had returned from a UK tour following two matches, securing their opener against Connacht and losing to Edinburgh. During the defeat, poor lineout performance was a significant factor, according to Dobson.
The Bok players who may make their debut for the Stormers include Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse, Wilco Louw, Paul de Villiers, Deon Fourie, and Cobus Reinach. Dobson expressed excitement about the upcoming derby, emphasizing a stronger team lineup. He acknowledged the challenging conditions, particularly the wind, which impacted their lineout.
The Stormers secured 12 out of 21 successful lineouts during their match against Edinburgh, while the hosts capitalized on all 12 of theirs. Inexperience with Vernon Paulo, debuting as hooker in place of Andre-Hugo Venter, who left due to concussion, compounded the issue. Dobson emphasized that the lineout was a major concern, stating that their inability to execute it adversely affected their possession.
Despite starting 3-0 down at halftime, the Stormers managed to take the lead in the second half, but disciplinary errors in the breakdown were another setback.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
