Kolisi rested for Jaguares game

DHL Stormers captain Siya Kolisi will sit out Saturday’s crucial Vodacom Super Rugby showdown with the Jaguares in Buenos Aires as per the Springbok resting protocols.

Kolisi is joined by prop Frans Malherbe in sitting out the trip to Argentina for the purposes of having a rest, and they will be joined in the group watching the game on television sets back home by flank Pieter-Steph du Toit, who misses the tour because of the shoulder injury that forced him off the field against the Bulls at the weekend.

Utility forward Ernst van Rhyn, who made an impression when he came on as a replacement against the Bulls, will also sit out the trip due to an elbow injury.

With a bye week coming up after this it is unfortunate for the Stormers that they have to travel under-strength as it is an important game, with the Jaguares level with them on a conference log which sees the top and the bottom teams separated by just four points.

However, coach Robbie Fleck would feel justified in arguing that he still has the material to do the job, for there are enough players in the forward group with utility value to cover for those who are absent.

And with Jaco Coetzee and another Springbok in Sikhumbuzo Notshe returning from injury this week, Fleck does have additional options he never had last week.

With Du Toit out it is likely that Cobus Wiese, excellent at lock against the Bulls before being replaced in the second half, will play on the blindside flank, with Eben Etzebeth slotting in alongside the impressive JD Schickerling, who'd have been close to the man of the match award against the Bulls, in the second row.

NO ANNOUNCEMENT ON CAPTAINCY

Johan du Toit, Pieter-Steph's younger brother, will also tour and is likely to provide both blindside flank and lock cover, with Wiese of course primed to move into the second row should it be required.

Coetzee can easily move into the openside flank position vacated by Kolisi, with Kobus van Dyk either continuing as the No 8 or Notshe replacing him.

It would seem more likely that Notshe would come on off the bench and he will add pace to the Stormers pack when they most need it.

The front row won't be significantly weakened by the absence of Malherbe, who has been a little flat recently in his primary role anyway.

Neethling Fouche is a more than capable replacement on the bench, while Wilco Louw is also a Bok, and will probably line up alongside two other Boks in the form of Steven Kitshoff and Bongi Mbonambi.

There has been no announcement on who will captain the side but Steven Kitshoff did an excellent job when the Stormers last played overseas, which was their final match of the Australasian tour against the Rebels in Melbourne just over a fortnight ago.

Etzebeth of course has led the Stormers before and was also a Springbok captain the season before last.

DHL STORMERS SQUAD FOR JAGUARES GAME:

Damian Willemse, Sergeal Petersen, Seabelo Senatla, JJ Engelbrecht, Dan Kriel, Damian de Allende, Dillyn Leyds, Jean-Luc du Plessis, Josh Stander, Justin Philips, Herschel Jantjies, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Kobus van Dyk, Cobus Wiese, Johan du Toit, Jaco Coetzee, JD Schickerling, Eben Etzebeth, Neethling Fouche, Michael Kumbirai, Wilco Louw, Scarra Ntubeni, Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Corne Fourie.