Overview

• The Stormers kick off the Vodacom URC at Cape Town Stadium against defending champions Leinster, with a second home fixture to follow before a European tour.
• Seabelo Senatla says the team’s attacking approach will be “explosive,” noting weeks of new patterns and his recent game time, including two tries in a warm‑up against the Sharks.
• Damian Willemse, Sacha Feinberg‑Mngomezulu and Cobus Reinach are away on Springbok duty, Bok prop Ntuthuko Mchunu is injured for the opening two games, and a new captain will be named on Thursday with Salmaan Moerat still out.
• Griquas trio Gurshwin Wehr, Dylan Maart and Caleb Abrahams have joined on loan to bolster depth for the early rounds.
• Stormers coaches expect a multifaceted Leinster challenge under Jacques Nienaber, with Robbie Henshaw, Jordan Larmour and Will Connors fit again, while Hugo Keenan, Caelan Doris and Joe McCarthy remain unavailable early.