Francois van Wyk will earn his first Vodacom Super Rugby start for the Force against the Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.

The 23-year-old loosehead prop, who formerly played for Boland, Western Province and UCT, replaces Pek Cowan, who was stretchered off the field in their match against the Waratahs in round one.

In the only other change to the starting side, Zack Holmes comes in at fullback in the absence of Dane Haylett-Petty, who suffered a foot injury. 

Meanwhile, another South African prop Chris Heiberg and wing Mitchell Scott are new additions among the Force reserves and could make their Super Rugby debuts, if they are used as reinforcements late in the game.

Heiberg also played for the Ikey Tigers in the Varsity Cup and represented Western Province in the Vodacom Cup in 2013, before he was drafted into the Stormers squad that same year. 

Force – 15 Zack Holmes, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Kyle Godwin, 12 Junior Rasolea, 11 Marcel Brache, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Sam Wykes (c), 3 Tetera Faulkner, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Francois van Wyk.
Subs: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Oliver Hoskins, 19 Steve Mafi, 20 Brynard Stander, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Luke Burton, 23 Mitchell Scott.

Photo: WesternForce.com