Scarra gets rare Stormers start

Robbie Fleck, Coach of the Stormers reacts, issues instructions to Scarra Ntubeni of the Stormers during the Stormers morning training session at Newlands Stadium, Cape Town on 28 April 2016 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix

Robbie Fleck, Coach of the Stormers reacts, issues instructions to Scarra Ntubeni of the Stormers during the Stormers morning training session at Newlands Stadium, Cape Town on 28 April 2016 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix

Published Jul 14, 2016

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Stormers coach Robbie Fleck has made six changes, but has kept a balance between newcomers and first-choices for Saturday’s Super Rugby clash against the Southern Kings at Newlands.

There is only one injury-enforced switch, with Scottish international Huw Jones coming in at outside centre in place of Daniel du Plessis, who has been sidelined with concussion following a heavy blow to the head in a collision with Force wing Marcel Brache in Perth last week.

Jones was outstanding when he replaced Du Plessis, who also received a yellow card for taking out Brache in the air, and could just add the strike power that has been missing in the Stormers midfield since Juan de Jongh’s departure to the Springbok Sevens team.

Fleck spoke about how much confidence Jones gained following his Test debut for Scotland against Japan in June, and he showed what he was made of as he placed the Force defence under severe pressure with ball-in-hand in the 22-3 victory in Perth.

But apart from the previously announced resting of Springbok locks Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit, which sees Jean Kleyn and JD Schickerling getting starts, Fleck made a few other interesting tweaks to the line-up for Saturday (5.05pm kickoff).

Foremost in that regard is Scarra Ntubeni getting an opportunity for some much-needed game time in place of Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi.

Ntubeni has waited a long time to earn a Test cap, but despite going on a few tours and again being part of the national squad for the Ireland series this year, he has been beaten to the punch by Mbonambi, who came on for two minutes in the series decider in Port Elizabeth last month.

The 25-year-old Ntubeni appears to have taken a backward step to Mbonambi at the Stormers as well as Fleck has opted for the latter in most of the games this season. Ntubeni had a difficult outing for the South Africa A side against England Saxons in June as well, and is in danger of being left out of the Bok squad for the Rugby Championship next month as the likes of Lions No 2 Malcolm Marx and the Kings’ Edgar Marutlulle are pushing for selection.

So he will hope to produce a big display against fiery Kings opposite number Marutlulle at Newlands, not only to impress Fleck but also Bok coach Allister Coetzee.

Rynhardt Elstadt will also look to get some match sharpness as he comes in for Springbok flank Siya Kolisi at No 7, while Louis Schreuder gets a chance in place of Nic Groom at scrumhalf.

On the bench, lock Chris van Zyl – younger brother of former Stormers No 5 Anton – could make his Super Rugby debut, while loosehead prop JC Janse van Rensburg is back from injury as well.

Springboks Frans Malherbe (neck) and Nizaam Carr (shoulder) are not yet fit to play, but are expected to be ready for next week’s quarter-final at Newlands.

Stormers Team

15 Jaco Taute, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Schalk Burger (captain), 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Alistair Vermaak.

Bench: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 JP Smith, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Jano Vermaak, 22 Brandon Thomson, 23 Scott van Breda.

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