Vodacom WP Invitation XV to face FNB Maties Announced

“We will have two squads of 25 players at Newlands on Saturday,” explained Vodacom Stormers head coach Allister Coetzee. “We will play the Force with our stronger squad and then a further squad of 25 will face Maties in the curtain raiser.”

The Vodacom Stormers played a similar training match against UCT in Riebeeck West last Saturday and a number of the same players will face Maties. Conrad Hoffmann will get an opportunity to show his worth at pivot, with promising youngsters like Jurgen Visser, JJ Engelbrecht, Yaya Hartzenberg and Rynardt Elstadt in the starting XV. At tighthead prop, the Argentinean Eusebio Guinazu, who has been contracted by Boland (thus making him eligible to play for the Stormers) will also getting a starting berth.

“We will cut our training group after the weekend, with the balance of the squad moving to the Vodacom Cup side,” Allister Coetzee said. “So this weekend is an important one for all.”

The Vodacom WP Invitation XV side is as follows:

15. Jurgen Visser
14. Fabian Juries
13. Frikkie Welsh (C)
12. Paul Bosch
11. JJ Engelbrecht
10. Conrad Hoffmann
9. Bolla Conradie
8. Yaya Hartzenberg
7. Pieter Louw (VC)
6. Conraad Britz
5. Martin Muller
4. Rynhardt Elstadt
3. Eusebio Guinazu
2. Callie Visagie
1. JD Möller

16. Sydney Tobias
17. Hein van de Merwe
18 Stephan Greeff
19. Dustin Jinka
20. Hilton Lobberts
21. Liam Slatem
22. Jody Birch
23. Stokkies Hanekom
24. Tim Whitehead
25. Denzil Riddles