Coleman starts for Stormers

HERMANUS, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 16: Kurt Coleman during the DHL Stormers training session and press conference at Hermanus Primary School on January 16, 2015 in Hermanus, South Africa. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images)

HERMANUS, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 16: Kurt Coleman during the DHL Stormers training session and press conference at Hermanus Primary School on January 16, 2015 in Hermanus, South Africa. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images)

Published Jan 21, 2015

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Kurt Coleman will start at flyhalf for the Stormers against the South Western Districts Eagles in their opening pre-season game on Saturday.

The other pivot, Demetri Catrakilis, will start from the bench after battling diarrhoea early this week.

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has named his strongest possible squad for the friendly this weekend as he looks to ready his side ahead of next month’s Super Rugby kick-off against the Bulls.

The Stormers round off the pre-season with matches against the Cheetahs and the Boland Cavaliers.

Coetzee outlined five aspects that he would like to see the team improve on during the pre-season, namely set pieces, dominant scrumming, defence, being more clinical and exiting their own half well.

“Getting a 90 percent success rate with our lineouts is something that we want, while we also want to be dominant in our scrums and our breakdowns,” said Coetzee.

“I felt that our defence was rock-solid during the Currie Cup, so we will want to continue with that, while in terms of our attack we want to be able to finish our chances, especially the unstructured ones.

“We want to play at a high tempo and that is the way we will be training as well,” added Coetzee.

“The fortunate thing about this squad, (is) the fact that we have so many options in the different positions. We also have Robert du Preez available to provide cover at number 10 and there is another game the following week so the opportunity for all of them to play is there.”

Michael Rhodes will be hoping for a strong outing in George as the flanker will be relishing playing alongside fellow flanker Rynhardt Elstadt and number eight Duane Vermeulen. “I am really looking forward to playing as part of that combination… all three of us like to carry the ball and get our hands on the ball,” said Rhodes.

Stormers squad to face SWD

15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 EW Viljoen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Gerbrandt Grobler, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Oliver Kebble, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Neil Rautenbach, 21 Michael Willemse, 22 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 23 Louis Schreuder, 24 Demetri Catrakilis, 25 Huw Jones, 26 Jaco Taute, 27 Godlen Masimla, 28 Robert du Preez - Cape Argus

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