Centre Ruhan Nel and prop Corné Fourie will make their first Stormers appearances against the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus on Saturday.
Nel is one of the Stormers’ Blitzbok imports, while Fourie joined from the Lions.
Nel starts in midfield alongside Damian de Allende, fullback Dillyn Leyds links up with wings SP Marais and JJ Engelbrecht, with Jano Vermaak and Damian Willemse forming the halfback pairing.
Up front, hooker Bongi Mbonambi will be alongside props Ali Vermaak and Wilco Louw, with Steven Kitshoff having been ruled out for four to six weeks because of a hamstring injury.
Salmaan Moerat and JD Schickerling are the starting lock duo in the absence of Eben Etzebeth, while Sikhumbuzo Notshe is at the back of the scrum, with Pieter-Steph du Toit and captain Siya Kolisi on the flanks.
Stormers – 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 JJ Engelbrecht, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 SP Marais, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Subs: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Corné Fourie, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Kobus van Dyk, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 23 Dan du Plessis.
VIDEO: @THESTORMERS coach Robbie Fleck talks about @StevenKitshoff‘s injury. #SuperRugby pic.twitter.com/A39g9pmVjk
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) February 14, 2019
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
