DHL Stormers gain experience for Loftus clash
The DHL Stormers welcome back the experienced trio of Rynhardt Elstadt, Juan de Jongh and Sikhumbuzo Notshe to the match-day squad for their Vodacom Super Rugby encounter with the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Elstadt comes back into the starting line-up on the flank while De Jongh and Notshe make their return from injury on the replacements bench for what will be the DHL Stormers final game of the regular season ahead of their home quarterfinal at DHL Newlands on July 22.
The only other changes to the run-on team come in the tight five, with prop Frans Malherbe and lock Eben Etzebeth having recovered from the flu which forced them to miss last week’s 52-15 victory against the Sunwolves at DHL Newlands.
As a result Wilco Louw and Chris van Zyl will feature off the replacements bench, along with De Jongh and Notshe.
DHL Stormers Head Coach Robbie Fleck said that his team is looking forward to another hard-fought encounter with the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
“We want to make a step-up in a number of areas this weekend and we know that we will face a total onslaught from the Vodacom Bulls, which is what we are looking for.
“We know that we are going to have to produce a big performance on Saturday and we are looking forward to the challenge,” he said.
Tickets to the DHL Stormers’ Vodacom Super Rugby quarterfinal at DHL Newlands on Saturday, July 22 are now on sale from wprugby.computicket.com or any Computicket outlet.
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DHL Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth (vice-captain), 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Justin Phillips, 22 Juan de Jongh, 23 Dan Kriel.
