The time for experimenting is over: John Dobson will have to make some big selection calls for the Stormers’ final United Rugby Championship league game against the Lions next weekend.
Champions in 2022 and finalists last season, the Stormers’ play-off hopes have taken a knock as they cannot reach the top four any longer, which means that their quarter-final will be away.
But before that, they need to see off a desperate Lions side at Cape Town Stadium next Saturday (1.45pm kick-off) in order to remain in fifth place and try to avoid Irish giants Munster and Leinster in the play-offs.
Leinster and Glasgow both play on the Friday night, so the Capetonians will have a clearer picture of which team will be waiting for them in the quarter-final.
But while they have no control over what’s happening above them on the log, the Stormers will not be expecting an easy afternoon against the Lions, who still have a faint glimmer of hope to make the play-offs.
The Johannesburg side are currently ninth on 49 points, and will have to finish seventh to qualify for next season’s Champions Cup, as the winners of last night’s Challenge Cup final between the Sharks and Gloucester will override the eighth-placed URC team.
Benetton (eighth) and Edinburgh (seventh) are both on 49 as well and square off in Italy on next Saturday afternoon, while Ulster are sixth on 53 points and take on log leaders Munster (63) in Limerick on Saturday night.
The Lions played some thrilling rugby despite losing Ruan Venter to a red card – for which he received a four-match suspension yesterday – to dismantle Glasgow 44-21 at Ellis Park last weekend to stay in the play-off race, so the Stormers have been warned.
Ivan van Rooyen’s team are also the last SA side to beat the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium, in December 2021, so Dobson’s men will want to avoid a similar fate.
The absence of the injured Damian Willemse – who had surgery on an injured finger this week and may be out for four months – is a massive blow for club and country.
But does it mean that Dan du Plessis immediately shifts to inside centre for the Lions clash? Who then comes in at outside centre?
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The options available are Wandisile Simelane as a specialist No 13, but another strong choice there would be Suleiman Hartzenberg, who has excelled at right wing, but is actually an outside centre.
If Hartzenberg moves to No 13, Englishman Ben Loader could slot in at wing, partnered by Angelo Davids and Warrick Gelant in the back-three.
But what to do with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu? Finally over his injury problems, he has delivered a few classy cameos off the bench, and is pushing hard for a start.
He would probably aid the Stormers the most at No 12 right now, which could mean either Du Plessis stays at No 13 or makes way entirely – which Dobson is unlikely to do as he is a big fan of the hard-working son of Michael du Plessis.
With his massive boot and attacking skills, Feinberg-Mngomezulu is a viable option at fullback as well, which could then see Gelant – who has regained some of his old spark – shifting to wing.
Does it get any better than this @WarrickGelant special?
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The other major conundrum is the loose trio. Evan Roos was shifted to openside flank for last week’s 16-12 win over Connacht in Galway, with Ben-Jason Dixon at blindside and Hacjivah Dayimani at No 8.
While all three played well, the back row didn’t really have a proper balance, with Roos, Dixon and Dayimani big ball-carriers and tacklers and all doing the same job.
Opensider Nama Xaba missed the two-match tour of Europe due to injury, so it is unclear if he will be ready to face the Lions.
Marcel Theunissen replaced Dayimani in the last quarter of the Connacht encounter, and may be a better solution at No 6.