Fullback Ulrich Beyers and scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius will make their first starts for the Kings against Leinster in Dublin on Friday night.

The 28-year-old Beyers, who has come off the bench four times for the Port Elizabeth-based side, replaces Masixole Banda in a rotational change.

Veteran Pretorius will wear the Kings No 9 jersey for the first time as he rotates with Stefan Ungerer.

‘Banda has started all the matches so far, and now we are excited to see Ulrich in action and how his experience and height can be used as a factor in our back three,’ said coach Deon Davids.

‘Sarel has been good from the bench and patiently waited for his opportunity. We have decided to reward him this week, with Stefan going to the bench.’

The Kings will also start without captain JC Astle, who will be on the bench. His spot in the second row will be taken by Stephan Greeff, while hooker Michael Willemse will assume the captaincy.

Flanker Henry ‘Bakkies’ Brown returns to the starting XV, with Stephan de Wit falling out of the match 23, while former Junior Boks prop Alulutho Tshakweni rotates with veteran Schalk Ferreira.

Kings – 15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Meli Rokoua, 12 Berton Klaasen, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Bader Pretorius, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Martinus Burger, 6 Henry Brown, 5 Andries van Schalkwyk, 4 Stephan Greeff, 3 De-Jay Terblanche, 2 Michael Willemse (c), 1 Alulutho Tshakweni.
Subs: 16 Alandre van Rooyen, 17 Schalk Ferreira, 18 Pieter Scholtz, 19 John-Charles Astle, 20 Andisa Ntsila, 21 Stefan Ungerer, 22 Tertius Kruger, 23 Masixole Banda.