As the excitement mounts for the much-anticipated coastal derby at Kings Park, the Stormers have made a bold selection decision that puts Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at the helm of their attacking strategy against the Sharks in Durban today.
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Having recently battled back from a knee injury, Feinberg-Mngomezulu's inclusion over World Cup winner Manie Libbok signifies the Stormers' commitment to a meticulously crafted game plan against a tough rival.
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson revealed that the decision to select the flyhalf for the clash (5 pm start) was made based on team cohesion and training continuity.
“Manie only got in on Tuesday morning and flyhalf is integral to all the plans we make.”
“There is no merit element. Manie only got in on Tuesday morning and flyhalf is integral to all the plans we make.”
“We decided three weeks ago that the team training will be the one selected for a specific match,” Dobson said.
Given that Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been in full training, the choice was straightforward for the coaching staff.
“Look, it will be an issue when they are all around and available. But this (decision) was the easiest one of them. We know the quality of the Sharks team even without a couple of World Cup winners, and we realise the magnitude of the occasion.”
With Kings Park set for a sold-out crowd, the Stormers are not shying away from the challenge. Addressing the atmosphere that awaits and possibly raining on the Sharks’ parade, Dobson quipped, “We certainly plan to do it,” but added on a serious note, “We will throw everything at our hosts.”
The Stormers currently enjoy an unbeaten record in the URC against their hosts, a statistic they hope to maintain as they seek their sixth win over the Durban side. The Sharks approach the match with a formidable squad that includes seasoned Springboks.
Stormers captain Dan du Plessis acknowledged the challenge posed by their opponents, recognising the battle-ready nature of the Sharks following a busy rugby schedule with the Springboks.
“You can see it from two perspectives: they are sharp in terms of match-time and we are well-rested.”
“Their guys have been playing a lot of rugby in recent weeks while we were off. You can see it from two perspectives: they are sharp in terms of match-time and we are well-rested,” he explained. Du Plessis pointed out the significant experience and talent in the Sharks’ centre pairing of Andre Esterhuizen and Lukhanyo Am, indicating these players will be vital in the upcoming face-off.
“Andre has evolved into a really good player during his stint in England and has grown in terms of his skills and distribution. I don't have to explain too much about Lukhanyo and we all know he is a world-class player. We are looking forward to the challenge because these are the games you want to play, against Springbok players and big names.”
Beyond the centres, the Stormers will need to keep a watchful eye on Bok fullback Aphelele Fassi and the halfback pairing of Jaden Hendrikse and flyhalf Siya Masuku.
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However, the battle will begin in the forwards, with veteran Stormers loosehead Ali Vermaak returning from injury to anchor a pack that also features Bok hooker Joseph Dweba and tighthead Neethling Fouche. Vermaak faces a tough duel against Springbok stalwart Vincent Koch, with Fouche tasked with keeping Ox Nche from dominating at the scrum.
“This is a good Stormers side,” Dobson added.
“Despite the injury absence of the Kitsies (Steven Kitshof), Damians (Damian Willemse), Deons (Deon Fourie) and Frans (Malherbe), we are up for it and we’ve worked really hard towards this game.
“Yes, they haven't beaten us in the URC, but there’s a fair dose of reality that comes with that statistic with their Boks returning after a successful tour and our only Springbok (who was on tour) is on the bench.”
Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis (captain), 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Bench: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Louw Nel, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Manie Libbok.