Stormers forced to make changes to squad following Covid scare

It’s not only the Lions, but now the Stormers as well who have been laid low because of positive Covid-19 cases.

Two Springboks in prop Steven Kitshoff and hooker Scarra Ntubeni have been withdrawn from the side to face the Pumas in a Super Rugby Unlocked clash in Nelspruit on Friday night.

The two players have been isolated according to Covid-19 protocols after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

This means that prop Kwenzo Blose and hooker Chad Solomon are both among an extended list of 10 replacements named for the clash.

Also named on the bench are flank Jaco Coetzee, scrumhalf Godlen Masimla and utility back Tristan Leyds, who all did not feature against the Lions last week.

The replacements bench will be finalised on Friday.

Stormers coach John Dobson named three changes to the starting line-up due to rotation and the injury picked up by wing Sergeal Petersen in the struggling win over the Lions last weekend in their first outing.

Two of the changes are in the tight five and there is one injury-enforced change in the backline for the first-ever match between these two teams.

Wing Edwill van der Merwe starts out wide in place of the injured Petersen, while up front lock Chris van Zyl gets a start in a rotational switch and loosehead prop Leon Lyons will earn his first Stormers cap.

Lyons was named as a replacement last week but never got on the pitch against the Lions, with the experienced Kitshoff playing the entire match at Newlands.

Dobson said that the trip to Nelspruit would be a good chance for his team to show what they learned from their opening match.

“We would like to see growth and improvement in certain areas of our game and an away game in Nelspruit will be a good test of that.

“We have some exciting players coming into the mix this week, so we are looking forward to seeing what they have to offer as we keep building,” he said.

The Lions, who face the Cheetahs on Saturday, announced earlier on Wednesday that four of their players had tested positive for Covid-19 and had been withdrawn from all activities this week, including being considered for this weekend’s match.

READ IT HERE: Covid-hit Lions have reason to be upbeat about first Unlocked home game. 

Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Edwill van der Merwe, Dan du Plessis, Rikus Pretorius, Leolin Zas, Damian Willemse, Herschel Jantjies, Juarno Augustus, Ernst van Rhyn, Siya Kolisi (capt), Chris van Zyl, Salmaan Moerat, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Leon Lyons. Replacements from: Chad Solomon, Kwenzo Blose, Neethling Fouche, JD Schickerling, Nama Xaba, Jaco Coetzee, Godlen Masimla, Michal Haznar, Tim Swiel, Tristan Leyds.

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