The Cape-based side will be guided at 9 and 10 by Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Stormers coach John Dobson has picked a star-studded side for his team’s Champions Cup match against La Rochelle in Gqeberha on Saturday, with nine Springboks included in the run-on side.
Recent Springbok tourists to Europe, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Ben-Jason Dixon and Ntuthuko Mchunu, are joined by Evan Roos, André-Hugo Venter, Neethling Fouche, Warrick Gelant, and Salmaan Moerat in the starting team.
The Stormers go into the game on the back of a big 26-17 win against Bayonne in their Champions Cup opener a week ago.
Key selections
Damian Willemse, however, is not fit to play this week after picking up a slight hamstring niggle but he should be available for selection next week.
Ruhan Nel is also back in the starting team and forms a midfield partnership with Jonathan Roche, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Reinach the halfback pairing.
Roos starts this week after providing impact from the bench in Bayonne and resumes his combination with flanks Dixon and the super impressive Paul de Villiers.
JD Schickerling starts alongside captain Moerat in the second row, while up front Venter starts with Mchunu and Fouché either side of him.
The replacements bench includes the likes of hooker JJ Kotzé, lock Connor Evans, loose forward Ruan Ackermann, scrumhalf Imad Khan and utility back Wandisile Simelane, who all started in Bayonne last week. They are joined by props Oli Kebble and Sazi Sandi and loose forward Marcel Theunissen.
‘Test match intensity’
Dobson said that his team are looking to build on their encouraging performance in France last week.
“It was great to win away from home, but we have to back that up now and we know that it will take a big effort against a highly physical Stade Rochelais team.
“We always get such fantastic support in Gqeberha, so we are all looking forward to what should be a big match with Test match intensity at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium,” he said.
Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Dylan Maart, Ruhan Nel, Jonathan Roche, Leolin Zas, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Evan Roos, Ben-Jason Dixon, Paul de Villiers, JD Schickerling, Salmaan Moerat, Neethling Fouché, André-Hugo Venter, Ntuthuko Mchunu. Bench: JJ Kotzé, Oli Kebble, Sazi Sandi, Connor Evans, Ruan Ackermann, Marcel Theunissen, Imad Khan, Wandisile Simelane
