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Dobson makes big call on Manie and Suleiman

rugby29 May 2025 11:48| © SuperSport
By:Gavin Rich
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Manie Libbok and Suleiman Hartzenberg © Gallo Images

Manie Libbok will play from the bench as coach John Dobson has opted for a surprising DHL Stormers backline configuration for Friday night’s Vodacom United Rugby Champions quarterfinal against the champions Glasgow Warriors at the Scotstoun.

Earlier this season Dobson spoke about how excited he was to see Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu playing together in the key flyhalf/inside centre decision making axis.

That was when he selected the Springbok duo in those positions for derby games against the Emirates Lions and the Hollywoodbets Sharks.

He agreed afterwards that it was a combination that showed a lot of promise, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu has played a lot of his senior representative rugby in the Stormers midfield.

But unfortunately Feinberg-Mngomezulu was injured before halftime in both games so on neither occasion did we see the selection go long enough for its effectiveness to be the headline focus on those respective games.

That he’s resisted the temptation to move Feinberg-Mngomezulu to midfield to accommodate Libbok in the starting team and as a replacement for the suspended Damian Willemse is a bit odd when one considers that a few weeks ago the Stormers director of rugby was excitedly contemplating the possibility of Libbok at 10, Feinberg-Mngomezulu at 12 and Willemse as his 13.

Obviously that configuration was ruled out by the suspension Willemse incurred after being red carded in the Cardiff game.

However, with the prospect of two world-class attacking players and creators standing together surely likely to put Glasgow on red alert, the smart money would have been on Dan du Plessis continuing in the No 13, which is the jersey he wears when Willemse wears the 12, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu slotting in at inside centre.

Instead Suleiman Hartzenberg, who was excellent against Cardiff and produced a man of the match performance in that last game of the regular season but on the wing, moves into the position he has always wanted to play - outside centre, where he will slot in alongside Du Plessis.

HARTZENBERG DOING WELL AT 13 WILL BE HUGE FOR STORMERS

Why it is a risk or a gamble is that Hartzenberg wasn’t great in that position in the last game the Stormers played overseas against Ulster, which was also the last time they lost.

Clearly Dobson now has faith in Hartzenberg playing that position that he didn’t have before because he hasn’t often entrusted him with that responsibility, and it is a huge call to make for such a massive game.

If Hartzenberg, who only recently turned 22 but is playing his 51st game for the Stormers in Glasgow, has been given a vote of confidence in his preferred position because of what he has done in training and Dobson now feels he is ready to make the shift, that is a massive positive for the Stormers going forward as there is no denying Hartzenberg’s potential.

If he was born Scottish he would probably have played international rugby by now, although not necessarily yet ahead of the likely Glasgow midfield pairing for Friday night, Sione Tuipoluto and Huw Jones. Which is precisely why it is such a big call.

Hartzenberg comes in at outside centre for Wandisile Simelane, while further changes from the Cardiff game in the outside backs, where the Stormers did go under-strength, are Warrick Gelant’s return at fullback, Seabelo Senatla coming back on the left wing and Ben Loader on the right wing. Senatla replaces Leolin Zas.

Du Plessis continues at inside centre in what is effectively the only position at the back that hasn’t seen a change subsequent to the Cardiff game, with Stefan Ungerer returning at scrumhalf for Herschel Jantjies as Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s halfback partner.

There have also been significant changes at forward, with Evan Roos and Paul de Villiers boosting the starting team at No 8 and openside flank respectively, while Marcel Theunissen moves back from No 8 to his more regular position at blindside flank.

JD Schickerling was outstanding against Cardiff but will play from the bench this time as Ruben van Heerden returns as skipper Salmaan Moerat’s partner in the second row, while Ali Vermaak and Andre-Hugo Venter respectively replace Sti Sithole and Joseph Dweba at loosehead prop and hooker.

Dweba will bring impact off the bench while Vernon Matongo has been rewarded for his excellent recent form by being part of this big occasion for the Stormers as a member of the impact squad.

Connor Evans joins Schickerling as the lock backup as Dobson goes back to a six/two split between forwards and backs on the bench, with Louw Nel as the specialist loose-forward cover (Evans can also play blindside flank if needed).

2019 World Cup winner Jantjies has been given the nod to be part of the squad as the impact scrumhalf in what, if the Stormers lose, could be his last game for the franchise as he heads to France next season.

DHL Stormers team: Warrick Gelant, Ben Loader, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Dan du Plessis, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Stefan Ungerer, Evan Roos, Marcel Theunissen, Paul de Villiers, Ruben van Heerden, Salmaan Moerat (captain), Neethling Fouche, Andre-Hugo Venter, Ali Vermaak.

Replacements: Joseph Dweba, Vernon Matongo, Sazi Sandi, JD Schickerling, Connor Evans, Louw Nel, Herschel Jantjies. Manie Libbok.

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