Stormers take form onto new stage

The Stormers' ground-breaking clash in the Champions Cup away to Clermont Auvergne on Saturday will leave captain Steven Kitshoff on the cusp of smashing a record of his own.

The loosehead prop will equal tighthead brother in arms Frans Malherbe's record 124 appearances for the franchise when the United Rugby Championship (URC) champions take their first steps in the new competition.

To suggest Kitshoff will be vital to the team's cause in the absence of the rested Malherbe, would be an understatement.

It won't just be his grunt in the tight exchanges that will be worth its weight in gold but his leadership will be an area his team will be desperate to tap into on Saturday.

Kitshoff, flank Deon Fourie and hooker Joseph Dweba have all played club rugby in France and their experience could go a long way to the visitors pulling off an away win.

Kitshoff will lead out a team on an impressive run in the URC but they will do well to transfer that form to the highest club stage in Europe.

Clermont's trophy cabinet may not be bulging but they are redoubtable opponents at home.

Stormers coach John Dobson has warned Clermont's lowly 10th place on the points table should not be used to measure their prowess, pointing to their wins against the third, fourth and fifth placed teams in the Top 14. They also ran leaders Toulouse close away from home.

Without Springboks, Malherbe, Evan Roos and Marvin Orie, Dobson is clearly bracing himself for a huge confrontation up front selecting a bench made up of six forwards and two backs.

At the back Damian Willemse will get a start at fullback with Clayton Blommetjies dropping to the bench.

Clermont will deploy their best possible team for the occasion with Cape Town-born Jacobus van Tonder starting at No8, while Test players Sebastien Vahaamahina and Tomas Lavannini make up the second row.

Former Tricolores pivot Jules Plisson is in the starting team, while the outrageously gifted Damian Penaud is on the right-wing.

The hosts will no doubt get a huge lift from their passionate 'Yellow Army' fan base inside the Stade Marcel-Michelin.

It could feed into the sub plot that sees Wayne Barnes take charge of a match featuring a South African team for the first time since he received death threats after his handling of the Springboks' clash against France in Marseille last month.

South African Rugby's director of rugby Rassie Erasmus took to Twitter to question some of the decisions in that game and Barnes was soon in fans' crosshairs.

Erasmus copped a two-match ban for his actions but there is no doubt South African fans will now put a spotlight on Barnes' performance on Saturday.

Stormers to play Clermont — Damian Willemse; Alapati Leuia, Ruhan Nel, Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas; Manie Libbok, Herschel Jantjies; Hacjivah Dayimani, Ernst van Rhyn, Deon Fourie; Gary Porter, Salmaan Moerat; Neethling Fouche, Joseph Dweba, Steven Kitshoff (captain). Substitutes: Andre-Hugo Venter, Ali Vermaak, Sazi Sandi, Ben-Jason Dixon, Marcel Theunissen, Junior Pokomela; Paul de Wet, Clayton Blommetjies.

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