The DHL Stormers will use Saturday’s exhibition match against Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens to look at new combinations ahead of a crucial run of Vodacom URC games.
The two teams will face one another for the first time on Saturday, as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and Gallagher Premiership comes to a break due to the Six Nations.
Coming off a derby loss to the Vodacom Bulls, the DHL Stormers are hoping to see some new combinations put up their hands for selection.
Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani told Netwerk24 that they have been unable to rotate as much as they wanted to, due to a tough schedule in December and January.
“What this creates is a bit of a gulf between the players. We’re trying to address that to make sure everyone is in the picture for the next few games,” Hlungwani said.
“The problem was that some of our games followed each other immediately. In December, for example, we played La Rochelle, the Bulls and the Sharks shortly after each other. You want to establish interplay between the players and then can’t rotate at will.
“It now gives us a good opportunity to have guys pick up in terms of minutes on the field. They can easily come into the picture for the next few games.”
Saturday’s match against Northampton Saints comes ahead of another tough run of fixtures for the DHL Stormers. Edinburgh and Ulster, currently tied on 40 points in forth place on the Vodacom URC table, are set to visit Cape Town on successive weekends on 23 and 30 March.
The Stormers then take on defending European champions La Rochelle in their round of 16 playoff on 6 April, before a potential quarter final and home URC games against Ospreys and Leinster.
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
