Jaco Taute will start at fullback for the Stormers against the Rebels in Melbourne on Saturday.
It will be the 25-year-old utility back's first appearance of the season after he sustained a serious knee injury before the start of the tournament. Taute usually plays centre, but with Cheslin Kolbe joining the Blitzboks, he starts at No 15.
In the pack, interim captain Schalk Burger has recovered from the ankle injury that ruled him out of the Boks' June Test series and starts at No 8. The only other change to the team sees Vincent Koch replace the injured Frans Malherbe at tighthead prop.
Prop JP Smith and utility back Scott van Breda have been included on the bench and will make their Super Rugby debuts if they are used as substitutes.
Stormers – 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Daniel du Plessis, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Schalk Burger (c), 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Oli Kebble.
Subs: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 JP Smith, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Rynhardt Elstadt, 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 22 Louis Schreuder, 23 Scott van Breda.
Photo: James Lipp/BackpagePix
