Double boost for Stormers

Editor

De Kock Steenkamp and Deon Fourie return to the Stormers' starting XV for Saturday's Super Rugby meeting with the Kings at Newlands.

De Kock Steenkamp and Deon Fourie return to the Stormers' starting XV for Saturday's Super Rugby meeting with the Kings at Newlands in Cape Town.

Steenkamp replaces Gerbrandt Grobler in the second-row, whilst Don Armand makes way for Fourie on the side of the scrum.

Grobler and Armand drop to the bench, with Marius Coetzee and Rohan Kitshoff dropping out of the matchday 22 from last weekend.

Steenkamp has not featured for the Stormers since picking up a chest injury against the Blues on May 3, whilst hooker-cum-flank Fourie missed last week's win over the Reds with a rib injury.

“For the first time this season, injuries have not dictated to us from the previous match,” said Stormers head coach Allister Coetzee.

“Both De Kock and Deon have been key men for us and, thus, they retain their starting place – despite Gerbrandt and Don having done so well for us against the Reds.

“Our depth on the bench has – in turn – also been bolstered, so we will be looking to those players to make an impact when called upon.”

Stormers: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jean de Villiers (capt), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Deon Fourie, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Gerbrandt Grobler, 19 Don Armand, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Gary van Aswegen, 22 Gerhard van den Heever.

Date: Saturday, June 1
Kick-off: 17:05 local (16:05 BST, 15:05 GMT)
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)