Publications
Partners
Cape Town - That Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has selected his best possible side for Saturday's Super Rugby clash against the Lions at Newlands speaks volumes about how highly he rates the Johannesburg outfit.
The situation for both sides is quite simple. The Lions have to win to stand any chance of progressing to the playoffs, while the Stormers know that victory on Saturday will secure them top spot in the conference.
Coetzee has included Eben Etzebeth, Duane Vermeulen, Frans Malherbe and Schalk Burger - who are all due another rest before the playoffs as per the SARU request in preparation for this year's World Cup - and says that he will take his selection week by week.
The ideal situation would be for the Stormers to secure top spot in the conference on Saturday so that they could travel to Durban for a date with the Sharks able to rest players. But even then they might be in a position where they are still fighting for second place on the combined log.
"What it means is that they are playing this weekend. We will then decide after this weekend," Coetzee said when asked if his selection meant that his Boks would rest against the Sharks.
"There are quite a few permutations that we need to look at before we make a final decision on that, but it is not a sin if they play throughout."
Kick-off on Saturday is at 17:05.
Teams:
Stormers
15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16 Michael Willemse, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Jaco Taute
Lions
15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Harold Vorster, 12. Alwyn Hollenbach, 11. Courtnall Skosan, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Faf de Klerk, 8. Warren Whiteley (captain), 7. Warwick Tecklenburg, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Martin Muller, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Armand van der Merwe, 1. Schalk van der Merwe
Substitutes: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Corne Fourie, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. Robert Kruger, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Dillon Smit, 22. Marnitz Boshoff, 23. Howard Mnisi
