Gaza, Sacha genuinely keen to play

Stormers coach John Dobson says it was an easy decision to start Damian Willemse and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu against the Scarlets on Friday. MORNE ESBEN reports.

Both backs were part of the Boks’ victorious Rugby Championship campaign and will make their first appearances of the Vodacom URC season when the Stormers kick off their first tour game at Parc y Scarlets.

“Ten and 15 were obvious – we didn’t debate too long and hard about that,” said Dobson. “They were in the UK anyway, we were on our way there and they were genuinely keen to play.

“We will pay for it somewhere down the line when we have to give them a bit of a break, but we’ll give them a few URC games just to make sure they can have a nice, long break.”

TEAM: Bok superstars back for Stormers

Feinberg-Mngomezulu starts at flyhalf, linking up with captain Ruhan Nel and Wandisile Simelane in midfield, while Willemse slots in at fullback.

The pack has an all-new front row of JJ Kotzé, Sazi Sandi and Ali Vermaak.

Dobson also confirmed that Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach will link up with the squad later in the tour after settling in Cape Town following his return from France.

“I think his wife needed him to hang some pictures because they’ve just moved to Cape Town and he hasn’t been home,” Dobson joked. “If you work it out, since he left Montpellier, he’d been in the Bok camp the whole time.

“He will join us at some point during this tour – whether it’s next week or the week thereafter. I think definitely for Benetton [in Treviso on 25 October].”

What a start to the season it has been at home. Now we look to take this momentum on the road. #inittogether pic.twitter.com/f6cGGF7yBS

— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) October 9, 2025

With a powerful 6-2 bench split, Dobson believes his forwards can continue to dominate the collisions.

“We saw in the first two games [against Leinster and the Ospreys] that our forwards managed to wear the opposition down and to have 14 forwards is useful at that task, because it means you only have two guys playing the full 80 minutes. It just gives you a bit more grunt and power at the end of the game.”

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Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images