Stormers name co-captains for Bulls clash, URC campaign

Steven Kitshoff and Salmaan Moerat will co-captain the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship clash with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday and beyond.

Springbok stalwart Kitshoff is set to make his first United Rugby Championship appearance in the North-South clash, which kicks off at 5.05pm on Saturday in Pretoria.

The experienced prop will join forces with lock Moerat in a joint leadership role which will see them share responsibilities on and off the pitch.

Fullback Damian Willemse and scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies will also feature for the first time in the United Rugby Championship as they take their places in the starting line-up.

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Loose forwards Deon Fourie and Hacjivah Dayimani both make their return from injury having featured for Western Province in their Currie Cup opener last week, with Fourie joining Evan Roos and Ernst van Rhyn in the loose trio and Dayimani set to make an impact off the replacements bench.

Moerat will link up with Springbok Marvin Orie in the second row, while Scarra Ntubeni and Sazi Sandi are alongside Kitshoff up front.

The backline features two former Springbok Sevens stars in Seabelo Senatla and Ruhan Nel, while Warrick Gelant is poised to be unleashed from the bench when the game opens up in the second half.

Coach John Dobson said that with two Springbok fullbacks in the squad, there is a plan to get the most out of both Willemse and Gelant going forward.

“We have two exceptional talents in Damian and Warrick and we have mapped out a way to make the most of that over the next few weeks, which is a crucial period for us,” said Dobson. “Both of them have bought in and are excited about making as big an impact as possible.”

Stormers: Damian Willemse, Sergeal Petersen, Ruhan Nel, Rikus Pretorius, Seabelo Senatla, Manie Libbok, Herschel Jantjies, Evan Roos, Ernst van Rhyn, Deon Fourie, Marvin Orie, Salmaan Moerat (co-capt), Sazi Sandi, Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff (co-capt). Bench: Andre-Hugo Venter, Leon Lyons, Brok Harris, Adre Smith, Hacjivah Dayimani, Paul de Wet, Dan du Plessis, Warrick Gelant