Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu reaches 50 as Stormers ring the changes for top-of-the-log Glasgow URC clash

Star flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is set to bring up his 50th cap for the Stormers this Saturday, headlining a pivotal United Rugby Championship (URC) clash against the Glasgow Warriors in Cape Town.

The gifted playmaker, who made his debut in a URC quarter-final at DHL Stadium back in 2022, reaches the milestone in what is shaping up to be a must-win, top-of-the-table encounter (kick-off 1.45pm).

A lot is at stake for the Cape side as the play-offs draw ever closer. They can seal a quarter-final place with victory and leapfrog their opponents if they claim five points from the clash while denying the Warriors any.

In the backline, there is a notable reshuffle, with Damian Willemse returning at fullback and Wandisile Simelane slotting in on the right wing. The spotlight will also fall on young centre Markus Muller, who is poised to make his debut off the bench. In doing so, he will become one of the youngest players ever to represent the Stormers, joining Willemse as one of the few to earn a cap before turning 19.

Up front, several changes see fetcher Paul de Villiers, lock Ruben van Heerden, tighthead prop Neethling Fouché and hooker André-Hugo Venter all promoted to the starting pack. Replacement hooker JJ Kotzé and loose forward Keke Morabe are named on the bench, alongside loosehead Oli Kebble, tighthead Zach Porthen, loose forward Marcel Theunissen, scrumhalf Imad Khan, flyhalf Jurie Matthee and Muller.

John Dobson, director of rugby, said that the final home match of the round-robin stage will be a big one for his team in the context of their season.

“With the play-offs getting closer all the time, it is important that we make the most of this opportunity to play at home in front of our fans. It has been a good week of training, and we are looking forward to seeing what the players coming into the mix can add in what is a crucial match against a strong Glasgow team,” he said.

Dobson said that Feinberg-Mngomezulu deserves all the plaudits he gets ahead of this milestone.

“There is a lot expected of Sacha, and he handles the pressure so well. He will be a key player in our squad for years to come, and hopefully we can make this match memorable for him.”

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.