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Eben playing off the bench in derby

rugby25 April 2019 12:55| © Cycle Lab
By:JJ Harmse
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Eben Etzebeth © Gallo Images
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth is set to play the same role for the DHL Stormers against the Vodacom Bulls that he did the last time the Cape team hosted a Super Rugby derby at Newlands.

When the Stormers played the Lions in Cape Town in late February, Etzebeth played off the bench and made a massive impact on the game when he came onto the field in the second half. What had been a listless and innocuous performance up to that point was suddenly given direction, and the composure and drive that Etzebeth brought helped the Stormers to a come from behind victory.

Etzebeth is on the bench again for the Bulls match, with Cobus Wiese, who was cleared after having scans on a suspected fractured cheek, wearing the No 4 jersey. Wiese was excellent in the win over the Rebels two weeks ago as well in the early stages of the match against the Brumbies before he left the field, so Stormers coach Robbie Fleck obviously backs Wiese to make a similar impact at the start.

Fleck said that the selection had a dual purpose: The first was to manage Etzebeth’s game time in his first week back from injury, and the second was to bank on the same sort of impact he brought onto the field against the Lions.

“Eben only returned from injury this week so we needed to manage his load, the selection is more about game time, but we are also mindful of the role he played in turning the game for us against the Lions,” said Fleck.

“He made a massive impact off the bench in that game, and we have sat him down and explained that we will be looking for something similar on Saturday. I think Cobus has been outstanding at lock. Against the Rebels he was very very good, and he was also good in the beginning against the Brumbies.

“He has come through his recent matches with flying colours and would like him to continue to do that as long as he can. With Eben it is more of a time management thing and the way he came off the last time he played as a replacement against the Lions.”

There are seven changes in all to the side that went down narrowly to the Brumbies, with Frans Malherbe returning for Wilco Louw at tighthead prop and Scarra Ntubeni starting at hooker ahead of Bongi Mbonambi. That means there are effectively three changes to the Stormers’ predicted starting tight five, although in Mbonambi’s case it was dictated by injury.

“Bongi took a knock to the leg against the Brumbies and hasn’t trained the whole week. He participated in his first training session today. So from a team continuity viewpoint it makes sense to start with Scarra. Bongi came through his fitness test today (Thursday), as did Cobus.”

Somebody who did not get through the week was outside centre Ruhan Nel, who was forced out of the Thursday training session with an ankle injury that Fleck feels might be serious.

“Ruhan has gone for scans, he would have played if it wasn’t for his injury, which was very unfortunate,” said Fleck.

JJ Engelbrecht comes into the team as Nel’s direct replacement and is a capped Springbok but given how well Nel has been playing just recently, and from a continuity perspective, the lateness of the injury and the former Blitzboks’ withdrawal could potentially hurt the Stormers. Engelbrecht will team up with another Bok in Damian de Allende, who is back at No 12 after being rested last week.

The other change is at flyhalf, where Jean-Luc du Plessis returns for Josh Stander, who drops to the bench.

“Jean-Luc plays a very influential role in the way we want to play this game, and he was always going to come back into the team after resting last week,” explained Fleck.

Du Plessis and De Allende have played most of the Stormers games together in the key 10/12 decision making axis this season so the selection will bring some stability and composure in that area.

DHL Stormers team: Damian Willemse, Sergeal Petersen, JJ Engelbrecht, Damian de Allende, Dillyn Leyds, Jean-Luc du Plessis, Herschel Jantjies, Kobus van Dyk, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), JD Schickerling, Cobus Wiese, Frans Malherbe, Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Corne Fourie, Wilco Louw, Eben Etzebeth, Ernst van Rhyn, Justin Phillips, Joshua Stander, Seabelo Senatla.

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