URC Grand Final: Three unlikely stars for the Stormers

All eyes are set to be on the star players when the Stormers take on Munster in the United Rugby Championship Grand Final at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening.

Moments of magic will be the order of the night and fans will be backing their favourite players to turn up on the big plays and make game breaking contributions in the match.

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For the Stormers the obvious stars include their Springbok props, flank Deon Fourie, flyhalf Manie Libbok and fullback Damian Willemse.

However, the biggest contributions could end up coming from some of the more background players, who could make a massive impact on the outcome of the game.

Ruben van Heerden

Ruben van Heerden has enjoyed a stunning return to South African rugby with the Stormers after signing on a short term contract in January, and is in line to earn himself a lucrative full time contract at the union going forward.

He started his career at the Bulls, before making his name at the Sharks over a three year period, only for limited playing time to see him move to Exeter Chiefs in England at the start of this season.

However a lock crisis at the Stormers, with Salmaan Moerat ruled out for the season, while long term injuries to Adre Smith, Ernst van Rhyn and Gary Porter at various stages necessitated coach John Dobson sending an SOS to Van Heerden, with him answering the call.

Van Heerden has since gone on to impress massively and in the absence of Moerat, is effectively the Stormers first choice number four now, and he will be eager to back that up with a huge performance in the final against Munster.

Herschel Jantjies

Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies has found the going tough, after bursting onto the scene for the Stormers in 2018, with his scintillating performances leading to a call-up to the national team and a World Cup winners medal after the 2019 event.

Since then he has not been able to live up to the hype, with inconsistent performances and poor form seeing him drop out of the Bok scrumhalf conversation, with Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach and Grant Williams all ahead of him on the pecking order at this stage.

Even Paul de Wet looked to be usurping him as the first choice scrumhalf at the Stormers earlier in the season, but Jantjies has made a superb comeback over the past few months to remind us of his pedigree.

He seems to be hitting top form at just the right time for his union, and another big showing in the final against Munster would be the perfect reminder to the Bok selectors of what he brings to the national team.

Clayton Blommetjies

The electrifying Clayton Blommetjies is back in the Stormers squad for the final against Munster and he will want to put in a typical explosive showing off the bench.

Blommetjies was signed in the off season to replace the departing Warrick Gelant, and stepped into his shoes perfectly, making 13 starts for the team over the season.

However the form of Dan du Plessis at inside centre meant Damian Willemse has been playing mostly at fullback, which put Blommetjies on the wing.

With the return from injury over the past few months of Seabelo Senatla, before his car accident, and then Leolin Zas, Blommetjies lost his spot in the squad and has been featuring for Western Province in the Currie Cup since.

But with the injury to utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu ruling him out of the final, coach John Dobson obviously felt he needed a bit more x-factor on the bench and has brought Blommetjies back in for the finale.