SARrugby.com

BY Geb De La Rey of Sport 24

15 Jaco Taute, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jean de Villiers (captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes (from): 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Brok Harris, 19 De Kock Steenkamp, 20 Don Armand, 21 Nizaam Carr, 22 Nic Groom, 23 Louis Schreuder, 24 Pat Howard, 25 Gerhard van den Heever, 26 Joe Pietersen

(courtesy of News24)

This is probably the Stormers strongest available team. With only De Jongh, Jantjies and Burger missing from the starting 15 and maybe  Grant and Rhodes from the bench. All injured or not available.9Tiaan Liebeberg is also missing)

I do like the fact that AC has kept Taute, Aplon and Habana together for this game so that they can form a combination and get to know each other (I am preferring Van der Heever to Aplon). I know he is taking a bit of a risk by overplaying the player early in the season but their will be time for rotation when we play the Kings, Force, Rebels ect. For now it is more important for the team to gel into a unit.

I also like to see how JdV and young D’Allande will go together (I will second that!). I am not so sure about Duvenage but AC and co keep on selecting him as no.1 SH but his form in 2012 was pretty bad. I really hope he can step it up this season or he will have to make way for Groom (Groom looks the better player!).

The forwards is close to full strength and is not missing much. With Deon Fetching from hooker and Elstadt being an extra lineout option. Vermeulen can also play towards the ball as he did in the EOYT. A comeback for the big man Bekker after an injury prone 2011 and 2012 he will like to get back to his form of 2011(SR) when he dominated the scene.

Although Boland is not the strongest team in the world I still believe they will give the boys a good run for their money.

Pretty strong side. Hope Elstadt has a good game. Also Howard. The pack has a balace of pace and power.

This business about Elstadt going to France. I have seen nothing, apart from jauzy 9's post , indicating his leaving?

There is no real surprises in this team - always thought the center patring would be De Allende and De Villiers.

I think the Stormers wants De Allende to concentrate on playing at 12 - thats why they moved De Villiers to 13.   Not sure whether that strategy would work though - De Villies was not a house on fire when he played for the Springboks at 13.   Another part of the strategy could be to phase out De Jongh in an effort to make the backline a better attacking unit.   If the De Allende - De Villiers really show spark -  it would appear to be likely that thy would start against th Bulls in Round 2

The side would have been better with v/d Heever ahead of Aplon, Howard ahead of Jean and Malhere ahead of Cilliers

Ruan Botha and JP du Plessis should have been on the bench

JP du Plessis is injured Saffex.