Du Plessis leads DHL Stormers XXIII in opener

Flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis will captain the DHL Stormers XXIII as they play their historic first Carling Currie Cup match against Suzuki Griquas at DHL Stadium on Friday night.

The experienced playmaker leads a team with a good blend of youth and experience for the opening round clash with the defending champions, which kicks off at 19h05 on Friday. Tickets are available from stormers.co.za.

There are six players in the matchday squad making their first-ever appearance in the competition. Fullback Dylan Miller, wing Mfundo Ndhlovu, No.8 Wandile Mlaba, lock Tom Barnard, loose forward Xola Nyali and inside back Dominic Malgas will all feature in a Carling Currie Cup match for the first time.

Hooker Vernon Paulo, prop Hencus van Wyk and scrumhalf Tiaan Fourie will be playing their first Carling Currie Cup match for a Stormers Rugby team.

Du Plessis forms an experienced halfback pairing with Stefan Ungerer, with Fourie and Malgas providing backline cover from the bench.

Josh Boulle will link up with Cornel Smit in midfield, while Miller and Ndhlovu are joined by Gino Cupido in an exciting back three.

Up front, Paulo will have Oli Kebble and young tighthead prop Herman Lubbe on either side of him, with Scarra Ntubeni, Mhleli Khuzwayo and Van Wyk providing front row impact in the second half.

Barnard is in the second row alongside the experienced Gerbrandt Grobler, who featured in the team that won the Carling Currie Cup at Newlands in 2014.

Mlaba is at the back of the scrum and has flanks Divan Fuller and Keke Morabe by his side in a dynamic loose trio, while the likes of Dylan de Leeuw, Enos Ndiao and Nyali will bolster the back five when they take the field from the replacements bench.

Head Coach Tom Dawson-Squibb said that everyone is focused on starting a new era of the DHL Stormers XXIII in the Carling Currie Cup with a convincing performance at home.

“We are new as a team which brings with it the chance of some adapting through the game but more importantly it brings with it massive enthusiasm and competitiveness.

“My message for the last four weeks has been to compete ‘unreasonably’. We want this team to go above and beyond in every area and push ourselves as far as we can, which is what we mean by being unreasonable. What better way to test this than against the defending champions who are flying high on confidence.

“This is a big moment as we start a new era and what better place to do so than DHL Stadium. The players and management are all looking forward to the challenge and giving all we have to make a positive start,” he said,” he said.

DHL Stormers XXIII: 15 Dylan Miller, 14 Gino Cupido, 13 Josh Boulle, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Mfundo Ndhlovu, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis (captain), 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Wandile Mlaba, 7 Divan Fuller, 6 Keke Morabe, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Tom Barnard, 3 Herman Lubbe, 2 Vernon Paulo, 1 Oli Kebble.
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Mhleli Khuzwayo, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Dylan de Leeuw, 20 Enos Ndiao, 21 Xola Nyali, 22 Tiaan Fourie, 23 Dominic Malgas.