Despite expected changes within the Stormers squad, the club management has decided against a radical lineup overhaul before the opening match of the European Champions Cup against Bristol Bears in Cape Town on Saturday. This decision follows previous issues the club faced due to overly frequent changes in formation.
Although some substitutions are anticipated, particularly in the front row, rugby director John Dobson is cautious about disrupting the cohesion of the team that was formed after winning the United Rugby Championship (URC) against Sharks last Saturday.
Stormers' primary objective is to advance from their group, which includes Bears, French giant Bordeaux-Bègles, Racing 92, and English club Gloucester. The team will travel to Bordeaux and Gloucester for two away games, making the match at DHL Stadium on Saturday highly significant as the starting fixture.
For Cape Town, this is a very challenging group stage, as they must balance a strong start in the URC with the necessity of qualifying for the Round of 16 of the elite European club competition. Consequently, the team composition over the coming months will be crucial.
Dobson emphasized that in the Champions Cup, the team needs to exit the group and secure a home game in the quarter-finals. He noted that while they won three out of four matches last year, they still played away against Exeter. Other teams that won one match out of four had a similar situation. Therefore, he stated that the team must beat Bristol, and he will select the best possible lineup to achieve this goal, without wishing to weaken the team even against Bordeaux.
Dobson is concerned about excessive player rotation this weekend after the team gained momentum with a 39-22 victory in the local derby. He hinted that tighthead props Sazi Sandi and Zachary Porten might replace Vilko Lou and Nitling Fushe. Lou and Fushe performed excellently in the scrum alongside loosehead props Ntutuko Mchunu and Vernon Matongo.
While Porten and Sandi could be ideal replacements, given the faster style of play of the Bears, it could lead to a loss of power in the scrum. Changes are also possible in the backline trio and in the defensive center. Siya Kolisi played two consecutive matches and could benefit from a rest, and the vacant number 7 position could go to Ben-Jason Dixon if he recovers sufficiently from concussion symptoms.
Dobson added that the team does not want to repeat the experience of Harlequins, who lost by 60 points away in the Champions Cup. He assured that Sazi and Zachary are likely to feature next Saturday, as this is a planned and critical path. He highly praised Sandi, noting that he is an excellent tighthead, fast in contact, and possesses fantastic overall play, stating that his participation will not weaken the team. He also reported that key players will participate throughout these four weeks, and they are aware of their schedule.