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Heineken Champions Cup: Stormers v Harlequins - Marcus Smith starts in South Africa

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Published in Rugby
Friday, 31 March 2023 05:59

Harlequins make one change to the side that lost to Saracens for their Heineken Champions Cup last-16 tie against Stormers in Cape Town.

Will Evans returns to the starting XV at flanker as he replaces the injured James Chisholm.

Danny Care and Marcus Smith will continue to steer Quins in an experienced half-back pairing with 491 club appearances between them.

Meanwhile, Ruhan Nel returns to midfield for Stormers.

Centre Dan du Plessis, lock Ernst van Rhyn and prop Neethling Fouche are all set to make their 50th club appearance for the South African club, while 38-year-old prop Brok Harris will reach 250 combined games for Stormers and Western Province.

Quins head coach Tabai Matson said his side would have to deliver one of their best performances of the year to reach the quarter-finals.

"We've had a great week training having flown out here early this week," he said.

"The players are all really engaged, the environment is different, the weather is clearly better than the UK and the opposition is as tough as they get, so there's lots of reasons for us to try and deliver one of our best performances of the year.

"It's pretty amazing to be in Cape Town playing a Champions Cup game. It's an awesome opportunity to be away from home and play at this level of the game."

Stormers won three of their four pool games and head coach John Dobson says the club's first knockout game in the competition is "what dreams are made of".

"We have a home Heineken Champions Cup knockout match at DHL Stadium, which is the stuff that dreams are made of," he said.

"It will be fantastic to also recognise Dan, Ernst, Neethling and Brok, who have all contributed so much to the team over the years."

Teams

Stormers: Willemse; Hartzenberg, Nel, Du Plessis, Senatla; Libbok, Jantjies; Kitshoff (c), Dweba, Malherbe, Van Rhyn, Orie, Fourie, Dixon, Dayimani.

Replacements: Kotze, Harris, Fouche, Porter, Engelbrecht, Theunissen, De Wet, Blommetjies

Harlequins: David; Marchant, Northmore, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care (c); Marler, Walker, Louw, Lamb, Herbst, Kenningham, Evans, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Riley, Baxter, Collier, Hammond, Lawday, Gjaltema, Allan, Beard

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