Playing in his 50th match for the Stormers, flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu must pull the strings for his team against the Glasgow Warriors on Saturday in Cape Town.
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Number one versus number two collide on Saturday in Cape Town when the Stormers host the Glasgow Warriors in a top-of-the-log United Rugby Championship (URC) encounter.
A lot is at stake for both sides, but more so for the home team at DHL Stadium (1.45pm kick-off). It is their final match in front of their supporters in the league phase. After this, two tough away clashes await to round off the round-robin stages.
Looking at the congested URC table, it could potentially be the final home game the Stormers play if they cannot secure a victory. A couple of teams are breathing down their necks and are within touching distance of the second-placed Cape side.
A bonus-point win, however, would have the opposite effect; they could leapfrog the Warriors if they deny their Scottish visitors any points from the match.
That is easier said than done.
While the Stormers have shuffled their matchday squad, moving Damian Willemse to fullback and bringing in Wandisile Simelane on the wing, there are a few areas the Warriors will look to exploit. However, it remains a strong home side and, with flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu set to play his 50th match, they will be eager to deliver a special performance.
Glasgow have bolstered their ranks with internationals, bringing in some big guns to the starting line-up to maintain their impressive winning record over the Stormers.
Plenty of eyes will be on the performances of Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Willemse at the back and debutant Markus Muller, but the forwards must lay the perfect platform against a wily Warriors pack. They will be tested at the breakdown and on defence, and clean ball for scrumhalf Cobus Reinach will be crucial.
The Stormers can seal a quarter-final spot with a bonus-point win, and they owe their supporters a strong showing in their final home game of the league phase.
Stormers XV
15 Damian Willemse, 14 Wandisile Simelane, 13 Ruhan Nel (captain), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Marcel Theunissen, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Markus Muller.
Glasgow Warriors XV
15 Kyle Rowe, 14 Kyle Steyn (captain), 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Ollie Smith, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ben Afshar, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Angus Fraser, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Alex Samuel, 4 Ryan Burke, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Patrick Schickerling.
Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Dylan Cockburn, 20 Jare Oguntibeju, 21 Sione Vailanu, 22 Stafford McDowall, 23 Jack Oliver.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland), AR 1: Griffin Colby (SA), AR 2: Dylen November (SA), TMO: Peter Martin (Ireland).
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