20 - 17

20 - 52

Tomorrow

15:10

Saturday

08:30

Saturday

10:10

Saturday

10:30

Saturday

10:30

Saturday

10:30

Saturday

10:30

Saturday

12:40

Saturday

15:05

Saturday

15:10

Sunday

08:40

Sunday

10:00

Sunday

11:10

Sunday

15:05

Roberts to make Stormers debut alongside 7 Rugby World Cup winners

By Online Editors

30 Jan 2020

Photo / Getty Images

Wales and British and Irish Lions international Jamie Roberts will make his Stormers debut against the Hurricanes at Newlands on Saturday.

The Welsh star will play alongside 10 Springboks named in the matchday squad for the opening round Super Rugby encounter.

Roberts will start at inside centre, with fellow midfielder Rikus Pretorius, who is 12 years his junior, also set to make his Stormers debut from the replacements bench.

There are seven World Cup winners in the starting XV, with captain Siya Kolisi set to wear the No.8 jersey when he leads the team on Saturday, to start the last Super Rugby season at Newlands.

Continue reading below…

WATCH: Catch up on all the highlights from this Round 3 Top League fixture between the Kobelco Steelers and Suntory Sungoliath. Featuring international stars across the park incl. Dan Carter, Brodie Retallick, Richard Buckman, Matt Gitteau, and Samu Kerevi.

The Hurricanes last visited Newlands in 2014, when a late try secured a dramatic one-point win for the Stormers.

The last time the two teams played the opening game of the season was at Newlands in 2012, when Kolisi made a try-scoring debut off the replacements bench.

Stormers Head Coach John Dobson said that following a busy pre-season, his team are determined to make a convincing start to their campaign in front of the Newlands Faithful.

“We are very excited about the team that we are putting out this weekend and the potential for us to make a good start to the last season at Newlands.

“We want to play the kind of rugby that will make our supporters smile and that starts on Saturday against the Hurricanes,” he said.

Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Ernst van Rhyn, 21 Johan du Toit, 22 Godlen Masimla, 23 Rikus Pretorius.

Date: Saturday, February 1
Venue: Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 15.05 (13.05 GMT; 02.05 NZ time Sunday, February 2)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Egon Seconds (South Africa)
TMO: Joey Klaaste-Salmans (South Africa)

LIVE

Comments

0 Comments

Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Latest Features

LONG READ

Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

The Irishman's abrupt departure left his players reeling and confused about their new rearguard action.

LONG READ

'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

The England head coach shoulders some responsibility for his side's disappointing autumn results.

LONG READ

Despite defeat in Paris, the real reason the All Blacks are feeling upbeat

Signs of progress for Scott Robertson and a resurgent Australia are reasons for optimism for an All Blacks collective

Comments on RugbyPass

Bull Shark 1 minute ago

David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner

Possibly. But this welsh team is no better than a good URC team at this point.

But a tough match is what is needed for the inexperienced in the group. Building depth etc.

Nobody learns anything pumping a team by 50.

3 Go to comments

Bull Shark 4 minutes ago

Rob Howley: Warren Gatland is 'the best coach in the world'

Jeepers. That’s a nuclear response given the context.

By all means back the man. But there’s no need to go overboard with calling him the world best coach.

1 Go to comments

Bull Shark 7 minutes ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

He played a big role, as director of rugby prior to stepping in as coach, putting systems in place. He’s been involved in many of these players careers since they were teens or debutants at their provincial teams.

So I agree with you 100% it’s not Gatlands fault the pipeline of players is poor.

20 Go to comments

Bull Shark 11 minutes ago

Johan Ackermann returns to SA in new coaching role

Rassie is going to coach the boks until he’s 65. Never get tired of this.

4 Go to comments

Bull Shark 11 minutes ago

The Springboks confirm one change made to team named on Tuesday

It could be about the cut. It doesn’t seem wise to risk a reinjury.

Also an opportunity to give others a run.

6 Go to comments

Bull Shark 13 minutes ago

Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

It a hypothesis sure, perhaps Felix has a sweet deal lined up somewhere else. But I also don’t think he’d say something about that environment if it wasn’t true. He doesn’t strike me as a douche.

13 Go to comments

Bull Shark 15 minutes ago

Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

Just a hypothesis. What on earth else could be the issue with regards to the environment as claimed by Felix?

13 Go to comments

JM 21 minutes ago

'Lightweight' Premiership not preparing England players for Test rugby

You start off talking about physicality and then quickly segue to intensity as if they're the same thing.

If you think the Premiership isn't physical then you're either a fool, or being disingenuous.

One of the issues the Premiership does have when it comes to intensity is that the bonus point structure makes the last 20 minutes of lots of games meaningless. Everyone's wrapped up their points, benches are cleared, the quality of the game deteriorates, and what could be tense conclusions end up just petering out.

12 Go to comments

Tom 29 minutes ago

'I don't think Steve Borthwick would pick Jack Willis even if he's playing in England'

Willis is incredible and probably the best of the bunch but in Underhill and Earl we have two excellent alternatives.

Willis is solid in the lineout but I don't think Borthwick would pick a backrow without a 6'5" blindside.

4 Go to comments

Toaster 32 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

As an ABs fan there’s nothing to justify

The Boks are the best and just know how to win

And their depth is incredible now

And when they don’t they lose late on by one point

The rest of us aren’t too far away (some closer than others)

But in reality if we include England Argentina and now Aus rugby looks greatly competitive

Bongis knock on and Lomaxes double bank

These things happen

The fact is the ABs overall have evolved with new players and others like Aumua Vaai and Williams who have progressed immensely

But by and large although it has improved overall our second halves are a massive work in progress

So a B- is about right provided there is no loss to Italy

A loss drops it to C- !!

Remember we could have lost all three games to England but were just slightly better that’s all

29 Go to comments

fl 33 minutes ago

'I don't think Steve Borthwick would pick Jack Willis even if he's playing in England'

Willis is decent in the lineout to be fair, but definitely lacking a heavyweight ball carrier.

I think between Underhill, Curry, and Willis there isn't a huge amount between them. Maybe Willis would be good enough to start, but he wouldn't massively improve the team.

4 Go to comments

Tom 35 minutes ago

'England's blanket of despair feels overdone - they are not a team in freefall'

I'm not sure he is getting there and I don't think he will. Progress has been glacial honestly. Our attacking structure hasn't improved at all, except that he's now picking Marcus Smith who is a one man attack at the moment... And our defence for obvious reasons is now awful. I would have faith in Borthwick if I had faith in his assistant coaches... But I don't think Wigglesworth is an attack coach and why would he be? He's never been an attack coach and he spent his entire career box kicking. Our defence coach has never been employed as a defence coach and is still the head coach of a second division French side with an awful defensive record. The fact that Borthwick appointed them both is a poor reflection. If we still had Felix Jones and we had Mike Catt/Nick Evans or someone in the attack coach role, I'd be content to be patient and that results will come. With Wigglesworth and Joe El Abd, I have no faith that we will improve and I've seen no signs that we are.

16 Go to comments

EV 44 minutes ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

You miss the point. There is no pipeline of players. A coach cannot change that. That is up to the Welsh RFU, which have failed.

Rassie is a clever bugger, no doubt, but the Boks could play 52 players this year because of the systems they have put in place to find and develop players from schoolboy level up.

20 Go to comments

EV 47 minutes ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

Rassie is ruling the roost because he put systems in place to find and develop the best players from schoolboy level up. Its an entire system and organisation that now, several years down the line, presents him with a pipeline of battle ready talent.

Wales lacks this, lacks a Director of Rugby. Firing Gatland won't change this fact. He is an world class coach. If anything Abi Tierney should be shipped out for failing to put these systems in place over the last 11 months.

20 Go to comments

Tom 47 minutes ago

'I don't think Steve Borthwick would pick Jack Willis even if he's playing in England'

In terms of player quality, that is a phenomenal backrow. In terms of balance, not so much. Lacks a heavyweight ball carrier and a lineout option. I'm sure they'd still cause havoc though.

4 Go to comments

SC 52 minutes ago

New Zealand can't keep losing first fives like Harry Plummer

Is Harry Plummer a better 10 than Barrett or McKenzie? I do not think he is close to their level. Clearly, neither does Robertson.

Therefore Plummer does not deserve to start or be on the bench for an All Black Test if he is not one of the top two in his position. The third best player at a position should only be selected if one of the top two are injured.

This applies to all players at all positions.

The All Black XV team is for player development. The All Blacks should not be.

6 Go to comments

Tk 54 minutes ago

Five changes for the All Blacks, including the return of Sam Cane

Worst selection of the year. Farewells for Sam and TJ- but they are not retiring greats, they have chosen to leave NZ rugby for pay days. Havili, just why? Lakai had a great 78 mins last week now dropped for a retirement party. Reuben Love anyone, you know, a player who will be around come RWC'27!

11 Go to comments

SC 1 hour ago

Five changes for the All Blacks, including the return of Sam Cane

Italy beat both Wales and Scotland and tied France in this year's Six Nations.

11 Go to comments

SC 1 hour ago