Stormers player ratings vs La Rochelle | Investec Champions Cup 2025/26

Stormers player ratings: The Stormers maintained their unbeaten start to the season on Saturday, with a 42-21 victory over La Rochelle in Gqeberha’s Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in round two of the Investec Champions Cup.

This was a near full strength Stormers side against a weakened La Rochelle outfit. In fact, this was whatever the level below weakened is. This was a team loaded with four teenagers in the starting XV, flanker, Kirill Fraindt, scrum-half Nolhann Couillaud, fly-half Diego Jurd and captain Lucas Andjisseramatchi, only two players over 21 in the backline, one of which, Suliasi Vunivalu, was making his debut, and three props named on the bench.

The Stormers were always going to dominate this match, it was just about how many points they would score and how classy they would look.

At first, it looked as though it was going to be a cricket score, but the two-time champions got a foothold in the game after a concerning opening quarter and put up a good fight.

Here’s how the Stormers players rated:

15 Warrick Gelant – 8
The way the full-back was able to break the La Rochelle line in the opening seconds, then was then able to look around and kick on through typified the mismatch that unfolded. Was guilty of being profligate in possession though, and his loose offload gave La Rochelle a good chance. His breakdown steal – allowing the Stormers to score moments later – was as good as any flanker, and a try to his name minutes late.

14 Dylan Maart – 8
Opened the scoring by chasing down a Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu kick, which was a common theme. On the fly-half’s shoulder to score his second after the break. Had a 10 seconds to forget as Nathan Bollengier scored in the second half – first fumbling the ball, then being slightly too passive in his tackle.

13 Ruhan Nel – 6
Maybe a touch lucky his ‘intercept’ was just deemed a knock-on in the first half, could have been worse. Defensively slightly suspect at times, and rarely saw the ball much in attack.

12 Jonathan Roche – 6.5
Solid and, crucially, faultless in the midfield, although this was a performance lacking in any standout moments.

11 Leolin Zas – 7.5
Swatted away Simeli Daunivucu’s attempted tackle for his first try like a man swatting away a child, which is a fair description of what this match was. Didn’t see the ball a huge amount, though it initially looked like he would, but looked dangerous whenever he did see it.

10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 8.5
Nudged a pinpoint kick through for Maart to score in the opening minutes, and his standard stayed that high throughout. His turn of pace and pass out of the back of the hand for Maart’s second showcased his pure class and he assisted a try for Gelant soon after with a one-handed offload (he seemed hell-bent on only passing with one hand) in contact. Had a few mistakes in his performance, which was inevitable when anyone plays with as much risk. Kicking from the tee wasn’t perfect, but he wasn’t far short elsewhere.

9 Cobus Reinach – 8.5
Produced a hit on Hoani Bosmorin at full flight that sent the 20-year-old flying backwards when La Rochelle were in a promising position in the first half. Left as a guard at the ruck as Nika Sutidze drove over for La Rochelle’s second try – quite a mismatch. Always dangerous going forward, and injected pace at the right time, particularly his quick tap for Maart’s second. Mopped up a number of overthrown La Rochelle lineouts, too.

1 Ntuthuko Mchunu – 6
Up against 22-year-old Karl Sorin, the Springbok didn’t necessarily dominate the young Frenchman and was pinged on one occasion at the scrum in his own 22. By and large was on top at the scrum, though, and produced double-digits in tackles in only 53 minutes on the field.

2 André-Hugo Venter – 7.5
Lineout wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t a weakness per se. Throw was pinpoint accurate when it was needed from close range, which allowed the hooker to burrow over for the first score of the second half, moments before being substituted.

3 Neethling Fouché – 7.5
Even against a full-strength La Rochelle side, the Stormers would have still backed their scrum, so Fouché had a field day against a weakened side. Then again, he was scrummaging against one of the few established internationals in the side in Reda Wardi and still made light work of him. A yellow card for a high tackle in the second half was a blot on his copybook.

4 Salmaan Moerat – 7
La Rochelle had very few promising positions early in the match, but one was immediately snuffed out by the captain when he stole their lineout on 20 minutes. At a thunderous shot from Kane Douglas that left him gasping for air for the next few minutes, but he continued.

5 JD Schickerling – 7
Prevented a try by obstructing, not that it affected the scoreboard too much. Tackled well, and troubled the La Rochelle lineout all match.

6 Paul de Villiers – 8.5
La Rochelle were hitting the breakdown hard, which only makes his work over the ball more impressive, particularly the penalty he won when the visitors were knocking on the door late in the first half. A match-leading 16 tackles topped off a great display.

7 Ben-Jason Dixon – 7
Had a try chalked off in the first half, which would have completed what was a strong defensive showing, topping the tackle charts (13) when he left the field after 55 minutes.

8 Evan Roos – 6
Didn’t see that ball in Roos’ hands as much as many would have expected, but he varied his output in attack, being used frequently to ship the ball wide. Chipped in with his share of tackles too, but was quite quiet. His hour on the field ended with a penalty conceded.

Replacements
16 JJ Kotzé – 7

17 Oli Kebble – 7.5

18 Sazi Sandi – 7.5

19 Connor Evans – 7

20 Ruan Ackermann – 6.5

21 Marcel Theunissen – 8

22 Imad Khan – 7

23 Wandisile Simelane – 7