The Stormers have named a very experienced side to try and upset the mighty All Blacks in Cape Town.
Rising star Yaqeen Ahmed (centre) will make his senior Stormers debut surrounded by experienced players like Evan Roos (left) and Ruhan Nel, when they face the All Blacks on Friday night. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
Junior Springbok star Yaqeen Ahmed will make his senior Stormers debut as part of a star studded match 23 that will front up against the All Blacks when their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (RGR) tour kicks off at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday night (kick-off 7:10pm).
Ahmed, who helped the Junior Boks to their second straight world championship title in Georgia last month, is the most inexperienced player in a massively experienced Stormers match 23 full of URC stars.
Outside centre Ruhan Nel will captain the team and is joined in midfield by Jonathan Roche, with 20-year-old flyhalf Ahmed set to link up with scrumhalf Imad Khan.
Fullback Warrick Gelant will have wings Seabelo Senatla and Leolin Zas alongside him, with the experienced Dewaldt Duvenage and the versatile Wandisile Simelane set to provide backline impact off the replacements bench.
Up front hooker André-Hugo Venter will have props Vernon Matongo and Neethling Fouché either side of him, with JJ Kotzé, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Sazi Sandi on the replacements bench.
Adré Smith and Connor Evans will link up in the second row, with Ruan Ackermann set to be unleashed in the second half.
URC winning trio
The loose trio of Evan Roos, Hacjivah Dayimani and Deon Fourie is the same combination that started the 2022 URC Grand Final, which saw the Stormers claim the inaugural title in Cape Town.
Keke Morabe and Wandile Mlaba have been rewarded for their impressive form in the Carling Currie Cup with places on the bench.
Director of Rugby John Dobson said that his team will embrace the occasion of facing the Springboks biggest foes on their home turf.
“This is history in the making as the Stormers take on New Zealand for the first time, and our team is determined to make it one to remember for our fans,” said Dobson.
“For a club side to take on an international team ranked second in the world is a massive opportunity and one that every player and management member is looking forward to.”
Stormers starting XV
Warrick Gelant, Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel (c), Jonathan Roche, Leolin Zas, Yaqeen Ahmed, Imad Khan, Evan Roos, Hacjivah Dayimani, Deon Fourie, Connor Evans, Adré Smith, Neethling Fouché, André-Hugo Venter, Vernon Matongo
Bench: JJ Kotzé, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Sazi Sandi, Ruan Ackermann, Keke Morabe, Wandile Mlaba, Dewaldt Duvenage, Wandisile Simelane
