Bongi Mbonambi's return to the Stormers could revive his ambitions for the Springboks squad at the World Cup

Two-time World Cup winner, hooker Bongi Mbonambi, is preparing for his long-awaited return to the Stormers bench in the upcoming United Rugby Championship match against Ulster, which will take place on Saturday at the DHL Stadium.

Mbonambi's substitution is part of 10 changes to the squad and one tactical substitution made by rugby director John Dobson. The Cape Town team aims to secure its fourth consecutive home victory before the four-week break in the competition.

The 35-year-old front-row veteran, recently returned to the Stormers from the Sharks, provides crucial support to the front row, which is weakened by Andre-Hugo Venter's injury and J.J. Kotze's suspension.

Young player Vernon Paulo will start the game at hooker alongside Vilko Lou and Ntutuko Mchunu, while Mbonambi, Vernon Matongo, and Nitling Fushe are ready to make an impact in the second half.

Centre Ruhan Nel returns to the captaincy, playing in the midfield with Jonathan Ross, who has successfully passed concussion protocols. Damian Willemse moves to fullback, replacing Warrick Gelant, who is under observation for Head Injury Assessment (HIA) protocols, alongside Hajiva Daimani and Lukahanyo Vokozela.

Kobus Reinach and young talent Yakin Ahmed start in the halves following an impressive performance in the last victory over Scarlets. Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu rests, and Hashim Pead will feature as a substitute scrum-half.

D. J. Schickering and Adre Smith start in the second row, while Evan Roos moves to number 8 to allow Lou Nel to start on the blind side wing alongside Paul de Villiers.

Dobson noted: 'There are many changes, but every player, except the very experienced Bongi Mbonambi, has already played an important role for us this season.' He added that 'it will require great effort to finish this phase of the season with a fourth consecutive home win, and everyone is determined to give our fans another victory at the DHL Stadium. After this match, we go into a four-week break, so you can expect them to give everything on the field on Saturday.'

Frans Malherbe, a star for the Springbok national team, may return to active play early next year while continuing his recovery from a long-standing neck and back injury. The 35-year-old player, considered one of the greatest scrum-halves in rugby history, has been on the sidelines for over 18 months.

Malherbe last competed in early 2025, but persistent issues with his spinal cord and nerves have jeopardized his brilliant career. Despite the Springboks having a strong backup at number 3, including Vilko Louw, Thomas du Toit, and rising star Zach Potten, a fully healthy Malherbe remains a key figure as South Africa aims for an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title in 2027.

During a recent episode of Boks Unpacked X The Verdict, the veteran with 76 caps shared encouraging updates on his rehabilitation. Although he is currently without a contract, Malherbe is training with his former team, the Stormers, in Cape Town.

Malherbe told former Springbok teammate Shalqe Burger: 'Actually, I'm fine, Shally. In the bigger picture, there's good improvement. I started training with the team, non-contact team training and stuff like that. Obviously, it's very nice to do rugby, rugby-related things, instead of running back and forth through cones, which I don't like. But really, everything is going well, and I think there's some improvement. Hopefully, I can get back into the scrum soon.'

A graduate of Paarl Boys’ High School, Malherbe debuted for the Western Province and Stormers senior teams in 2011, later establishing himself as the second most capped Stormers player with over 150 appearances. He was a central figure in the Stormers' campaign to win the URC title in 2021/22 and reflected on his rare status as a one-club player.

He noted: 'I receive a lot of recognition for loyalty, which is great, but you have to give credit to the fact that when I didn't have a contract or was in the window for negotiating the next deal, SA Rugby, supported by the Stormers, or the Stormers supported by SA Rugby, took good care of me. I'm not planning on being selective right now, but I would really like to experience something elsewhere. But again, I remember how long ago a teammate I played with in the Boks mentioned that he was a huge fan of the Bulls and had never played for them. It's like you don't understand what a big privilege it is to play for the club and province you support. Not many people have that opportunity.'

When former captain Jean de Villiers raised the topic of Malherbe spending time abroad before retiring, the scrum-half smiled: 'Yes, hopefully.'

Stormers rugby director John Dobson emphasized that Malherbe has not yet decided where he will play in the future once he is cleared to return to the field. However, he could certainly play for the club if he requires game experience for a potential attempt at his fourth Rugby World Cup title.

The Stormers acquired Louw in the off-season to strengthen their scrum-half ranks following Malherbe's injury, and they also have Potten, Nitling Fosher, and underrated Sazi Sandi competing for game time.

Earlier this season, John Dobson told reporters: 'I don't think he has made a decision. My guess, and this might just be John Dobson's guess, is that it will drag on until the new year. He trains a lot here, but in the foreseeable future, he definitely won't be playing for us, so we needed to find someone to replace him, and there is still a big question mark regarding him.'

Dobson reiterated the view that the start of next year will be crucial for Malherbe's international ambitions. He added: 'I hear the decision might be made in January. That will determine whether he can participate in the 2027 World Cup, and then perhaps there will be a request for him to play one or two matches, which we will accommodate. There is no firm decision yet, but he definitely won't be playing for us in the foreseeable future.'