Willemse Starts at Fullback as Stormers Make Key Changes for Ulster Clash

The Stormers have made several adjustments to their starting lineup for Friday night’s United Rugby Championship (URC) clash against Ulster, with Damian Willemse taking over at fullback and Neethling Fouché captaining the side in Belfast.

Fouché steps in for tighthead prop Frans Malherbe, who, along with regular skipper Salmaan Moerat, has been given a rest following last week’s victory over the Scarlets. Connor Evans joins the second row, while Dave Ewers replaces Deon Fourie in the loose forwards due to head injury protocols.

Your DHL Stormers team to take on Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.

Full team announcement https://t.co/dZ8zW5I0CG#ULSvSTO #iamastormer @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/0ERAraAgbi

— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) March 27, 2025

In the backline, Willemse takes the No. 15 jersey in place of Warrick Gelant, while Suleiman Hartzenberg slots in at outside centre. Veteran scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage gets the nod ahead of Herschel Jantjies, with Paul de Wet expected to provide impact off the bench.

With just five rounds remaining before the URC playoffs, the battle for a top-eight spot is heating up. The Stormers currently sit in eighth place after their bonus-point win over the Scarlets, while Ulster trail them by just a single point in ninth.

John Dobson’s men have dominated recent encounters against Ulster, winning three of their last four meetings—all played in Cape Town. However, they will be eager to erase memories of their last visit to Kingspan Stadium, where they suffered a heavy 35-5 defeat.

Dobson emphasised the importance of maintaining momentum after securing consecutive away wins at Loftus Versfeld and in Llanelli.

“Winning in Pretoria and then in Wales last week has given us confidence, but we know we need to carry that into our upcoming home run,” he said. “Ulster always provide a tough challenge, and we’ll have to be at our best for the full 80 minutes to get the result we want.”

Stormers Team to Face Ulster:

Starting XV:
15. Damian Willemse, 14. Ben Loader, 13. Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12. Dan du Plessis, 11. Leolin Zas, 10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage, 8. Evan Roos, 7. Marcel Theunissen, 6. Dave Ewers, 5. Ruben van Heerden, 4. Connor Evans, 3. Neethling Fouché (c), 2. Joseph Dweba, 1. Ali Vermaak.

Replacements:
16. Andre-Hugo Venter, 17. Brok Harris, 18. Sazi Sandi, 19. Gary Porter, 20. Willie Engelbrecht, 21. Paul de Wet, 22. Jurie Matthee, 23. Wandisile Simelane.

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Sourced:Caxton News