LOCK Andries Bekker will become the first player to represent the Stormers 100 times when he takes the field against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Bekker, 29, will leave the Cape side at the end of the season to take up a lucrative Japanese club contract, but before he says “sayonara” to Newlands, he has a big part to play in steadying the Stormers’ turbulent season.
Following three defeats in their opening five matches of the campaign the Stormers know a fourth loss against the high-riding Cheetahs will leave them firmly on the back foot as the season approaches the halfway mark.
Coach Allister Coetzee has made six changes to the squad that lost 19- 14 to the Crusaders last weekend, three of which were injury-enforced.
In comes prop Steven Kitshoff after a one-week suspension, with Pat Cilliers dropping to the bench.
Flank Michael Rhodes will make his Stormers debut in place of the injured Rynhardt Elstadt.
Scrumhalf Nic Groom takes over from Dewaldt Duvenage and Jaco Taute comes in at fullback with Joe Pietersen moving to the wing in place of the injured Gerhard van den Heever.
On the bench, Vodacom Cup lock Gerbrandt Grobler could make his debut with the injured Don Armand falling out while scrumhalf Louis Schreuder and flyhalf Gary van Aswegen also ride the pine.
The 23-year-old Van Aswegen, who has endured an injury-plagued two seasons after being touted as a future star, could find himself in the starting lineup if Elton Jantjies fails a late fitness test.
Jantjies, 22, suffered bruising to the sternum and will be given until Friday to prove his fitness.
If he drops out, Van Aswegen will start with Tim Swiel taking his place on the bench.
The most interesting omission was at scrumhalf.
For the past two weeks, Duvenage’s kicking and tactical game was preferred over Groom’s nippier service, but against the Cheetahs there appears to have been a rethink by coach Allister Coetzee.
“This weekend’s expected high- tempo game is suited for Groom and Schreuder, which is why Dewaldt has dropped out,” said Coetzee.
Oddly, the Cheetahs have selected Piet van Zyl over Sarel Pretorius at halfback, suggesting they’re looking for the opposite – a better tactician behind the scrum.
Pretorius is a superb sniper around the fringes but his pass is weak and his ability to control the game questionable.
Van Zyl has a much stronger kicking game and more accurate service, indicating the Cheetahs will look to press the Stormers’ lineout just as the Crusaders did last week.
Captain Jean de Villiers sidestepped the question of whether the Stormers’ season was at a crossroads but he did appear to indicate that despite three losses there was a great deal of confidence in the Cape side’s camp.
“We’d like to have had five wins already, but you can’t underestimate the quality of the teams we’ve played,” said De Villiers.
“We’ve beaten the two sides that are currently first and second on the overall standings and that says to me we are an above-average team.”
The teams are:
STORMERS: Jaco Taute; Joe Pietersen, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (capt), Gio Aplon; Elton Jantjies, Nic Groom; Duane Vermeulen, Michael Rhodes, Siya Kolisi, Andries Bekker, De Kock Steenkamp, Frans Malherbe, Deon Fourie, Steven Kitshoff.
Reserves: Martin Bezuidenhout, Pat Cilliers, Gerbrandt Grobler, Nizaam Carr, Louis Schreuder, Gary van Aswegen, Damian de Allende.
CHEETAHS: Hennie Daniller; Willie le Roux, Johann Sadie, Robert Ebersohn, Raymond Rhule; Burton Francis, Piet van Zyl; Philip van der Walt, Pieter Labuschagne, Heinrich Brüssow, Francois Uys, Lodewyk de Jager, Lourens Adriaanse, Adriaan Strauss (capt), Trevor Nyakane.
Reserves: Ryno Barnes, Coenie Oosthuizen, Rynhardt Landman, Johannes Prinsloo, Sarel Pretorius, Francois Brummer, Ryno Benjamin.
Stormers have to steady their ship
Bekker, 29, will leave the Cape side at the end of the season to take up a lucrative Japanese club contract, but before he says “sayonara” to Newlands, he has a big part to play in steadying the Stormers’ turbulent season.
Following three defeats in their opening five matches of the campaign the Stormers know a fourth loss against the high-riding Cheetahs will leave them firmly on the back foot as the season approaches the halfway mark.
Coach Allister Coetzee has made six changes to the squad that lost 19- 14 to the Crusaders last weekend, three of which were injury-enforced.
In comes prop Steven Kitshoff after a one-week suspension, with Pat Cilliers dropping to the bench.
Flank Michael Rhodes will make his Stormers debut in place of the injured Rynhardt Elstadt.
Scrumhalf Nic Groom takes over from Dewaldt Duvenage and Jaco Taute comes in at fullback with Joe Pietersen moving to the wing in place of the injured Gerhard van den Heever.
On the bench, Vodacom Cup lock Gerbrandt Grobler could make his debut with the injured Don Armand falling out while scrumhalf Louis Schreuder and flyhalf Gary van Aswegen also ride the pine.
The 23-year-old Van Aswegen, who has endured an injury-plagued two seasons after being touted as a future star, could find himself in the starting lineup if Elton Jantjies fails a late fitness test.
Jantjies, 22, suffered bruising to the sternum and will be given until Friday to prove his fitness.
If he drops out, Van Aswegen will start with Tim Swiel taking his place on the bench.
The most interesting omission was at scrumhalf.
For the past two weeks, Duvenage’s kicking and tactical game was preferred over Groom’s nippier service, but against the Cheetahs there appears to have been a rethink by coach Allister Coetzee.
“This weekend’s expected high- tempo game is suited for Groom and Schreuder, which is why Dewaldt has dropped out,” said Coetzee.
Oddly, the Cheetahs have selected Piet van Zyl over Sarel Pretorius at halfback, suggesting they’re looking for the opposite – a better tactician behind the scrum.
Pretorius is a superb sniper around the fringes but his pass is weak and his ability to control the game questionable.
Van Zyl has a much stronger kicking game and more accurate service, indicating the Cheetahs will look to press the Stormers’ lineout just as the Crusaders did last week.
Captain Jean de Villiers sidestepped the question of whether the Stormers’ season was at a crossroads but he did appear to indicate that despite three losses there was a great deal of confidence in the Cape side’s camp.
“We’d like to have had five wins already, but you can’t underestimate the quality of the teams we’ve played,” said De Villiers.
“We’ve beaten the two sides that are currently first and second on the overall standings and that says to me we are an above-average team.”
The teams are:
STORMERS: Jaco Taute; Joe Pietersen, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (capt), Gio Aplon; Elton Jantjies, Nic Groom; Duane Vermeulen, Michael Rhodes, Siya Kolisi, Andries Bekker, De Kock Steenkamp, Frans Malherbe, Deon Fourie, Steven Kitshoff.
Reserves: Martin Bezuidenhout, Pat Cilliers, Gerbrandt Grobler, Nizaam Carr, Louis Schreuder, Gary van Aswegen, Damian de Allende.
CHEETAHS: Hennie Daniller; Willie le Roux, Johann Sadie, Robert Ebersohn, Raymond Rhule; Burton Francis, Piet van Zyl; Philip van der Walt, Pieter Labuschagne, Heinrich Brüssow, Francois Uys, Lodewyk de Jager, Lourens Adriaanse, Adriaan Strauss (capt), Trevor Nyakane.
Reserves: Ryno Barnes, Coenie Oosthuizen, Rynhardt Landman, Johannes Prinsloo, Sarel Pretorius, Francois Brummer, Ryno Benjamin.
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