Gelant returns as Stormers change four for Zebre

Springbok fullback Warrick Gelant returns as one of four changes to the DHL Stormers team for Saturday night’s fourth round Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with Zebre in Parma (kick-off 20.45).

It will be Gelant’s first appearance of the season after overcoming an injury problem that kept him from playing in the early games. Wandisile Simelane, normally a centre, was a capable replacement in the first two games while current Bok No 15 Damian Willemse played there in the 34-0 win over Scalets in Llanelli last week.

Gelant’s seasonal debut in the last line of the defence has enabled Stormers director of rugby John Dobson to shift Willemse to inside centre, where he was brilliant for the Boks in their 43-10 triumph over the All Blacks in Wellington in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship last month,

Willemse’s shift to the midfield means that Simelane drops to the bench, where he will provide excellent cover for several positions, and Ruhan Nel shifts back to his more regular position of outside centre after wearing the No 12 last week. Nel will continue as the captain. The prospect of Willemse lining up next to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the No 10/No 12 decision making axis is a particularly exciting one for those who intend watching the match.

The other changes come to the forward pack, with Adre Smith joining Ruben van Heerden in the second row and JD Schickerling now providing bench cover. Zachary Porthen will make his first start at tighthead, which suggests Sazi Sandi, who was injured last week, isn’t quite ready to play in this game.

Prop Hencus van Wyk, who is at the Stormers on loan from the Cheetahs, will make his debut off the replacements bench, which also features Ruan Ackermann.

Nel was excited about having Gelant back in the team and said that in his own view the fullback is a world class player.

“Having Warrick back is very exciting as he takes lot of pride in playing No 15 and dominates space in that position, and we are all obviously familiar with his attacking ability,” said the Stormers skipper.

“Gazza (Willemse) is also obviously a world class 15, which I believe Warrick is, but it will be good to have him next to me in the midfield. In fact it is great to have Sacha and Damian playing inside me. I saw an interview recently where Damian de Allende said he didn’t know what Sacha was going to do, and now I have two of those guys inside me,” he laughed.

Dobson said he was looking forward to seeing Porthen, who was the Junior Springbok skipper last year, make his first start.

“Fortunately Sazi’s injury isn’t as bad as thought and he could play next week against Benetton, but this is a great opportunity for Zach,” said Dobson.

“We have been very impressed with Zachary. He had a difficult World under-20 Champioship last year so we felt we needed to grow his scrumming, but he did well when he came on against Benetton last year and he surprised us. I am really excited to see what he can do. He is a player we think has a big future in the game.”

Here is our team for the Round Four @Vodacom #URC encounter in Parma on Saturday night.

📢 Team announcement https://t.co/cvprwUyNar#ZEBvSTO #inittogether pic.twitter.com/ZbUUDWwT38

— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) October 17, 2025

Another player Dobson believes has a big future is loosehead prop Ntuthuko Mchunu, who moved to the Stormers from the Sharks in the offseason but has yet to play because of injury. The news on that front is good.

“We believe Ntuthuko is a special player and we are really looking forward to him playing for us. Initially we thought he’d make the Benetton game, but we have decided to be more cautious and he will definitely be available for our game against Munster at the end of November,” said the Stormers director of rugby.

Dobson also disclosed that while he wasn’t available to face Zebre, Bok lock Salmaan Moerat has joined the Stormers squad in Italy and will be available to play against Benetton in the last tour match. Cobus Reinach will fly out overnight and be available to make his debut for the Stormers in the Benetton game.

DHL Stormers team: Warrick Gelant, Seabelo Senatla, Ruhan Nel (captain), Damian Willemse, Leolin Zas, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Stefan Ungerer, Evan Roos, Ben-Jason Dixon, Paul de Villiers, Ruben van Heerden, Adré Smith, Zachary Porthen, JJ Kotze, Ali Vermaak.

Replacements: André-Hugo Venter, Vernon Matongo, Hencus van Wyk, JD Schickerling, Ruan Ackermann, Marcel Theunissen, Imad Khan, Wandisile Simelane.