Gelant returns for DHL Stormers in Glasgow

Fullback Warrick Gelant makes his return for the DHL Stormers in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarterfinal against Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday.

The DHL Stormers will be aiming to secure a semifinal place when they face the Scottish outfit in the knock-out clash, which kicks off at 20h35 (SAST) on Saturday.

Gelant had been rested for the last league fixture of the season and makes his return at fullback, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu moving to inside centre to link up with Dan du Plessis in midfield. The only other change to the backline sees Ben Loader come into the starting line-up on the left wing.

In the forward pack Evan Roos has been ruled out with a concussion picked up in training this week and is replaced at openside flank by Willie Engelbrecht, while there is an all-new front row of Brok Harris, Joseph Dweba and Frans Malherbe who all featured from the replacements bench in the win against the Emirates Lions last week.

Connor Evans and a fit-again Paul de Wet are included among the replacements, along with last week’s starting front row of Sti Sithole, Andre-Hugo Venter and Neethling Fouche.

Director of Rugby John Dobson said that his team is determined to rise to the challenge of playing their first away knock-out fixture in the competition.

“We know that it will take a top performance to stay alive in this competition and that is a challenge we have embraced.

“We will have to do it without a number of our frontline players due to injuries, but it is a testament to the depth we have built and the quality of our squad that there is plenty of belief.

“Despite having almost a full team ruled out, we have built up some good momentum heading into the play-offs.

“This is our first Vodacom URC play-off match away from home after playing six at DHL Stadium and we want to show that we can rise to the occasion,” he said.

DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Brok Harris.
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Connor Evans, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Jean-Luc du Plessis.