Stormers ring the changes
Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck has made several changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s clash with the Sunwolves in Singapore.
There are a numerous alterations from the run-on side that did duty against the Southern Kings, with several players unavailable due to the Springbok management plan.
Junior Springbok Cobus Wiese will make his Super Rugby debut if he comes off the replacements bench.
The 19-year-old utility forward will become the fourth player to make his Super Rugby debut for the Cape Town-based franchise this season if he takes the field after Jaco Coetzee, Justin Phillips and Damian Willemse all got their opportunity in the Round Three victory against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth.
Dillyn Leyds will start at full-back in a new back three which will see World Sevens Player of the Year Seabelo Senatla make his first start of the season on the left wing.
Dan Kriel is back from injury to partner EW Viljoen in midfield, but the halfback combination of Robert du Preez and Dewaldt Duvenage remains unchanged.
In the loose trio captain Siya Kolisi is back after being rested against the Southern Kings, with Sikhumbuzo Notshe starting at the back of the scrum.
There is an all-new lock pairing as JD Schickerling makes his first appearance of the season alongside Chris van Zyl, whilst in the front row props JC Janse van Rensburg and Wilco Louw are back in the starting line-up on either side of hooker Bongi Mbonambi.
On the replacements bench prop Caylib Oosthuizen is in line to make his Stormers debut, with lock Jan de Klerk and scrum-half Godlen Masimla both getting their first opportunity of the season.
Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Siya Kolisi (c), 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 JD Shickerling, 4 Chris van Zyl, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg
Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 Caylib Oosthuizen, 18 Oli Kebble, 19 Jan de Klerk, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Dan du Plessis
Date: Saturday, March 25
Venue: National Stadium, Singapore
Kick-off: 18:55 local (10:55 GMT)
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistant Referees: Shuhei Kubo (Japan), Aki Aso (Japan)
TMO: Minoru Fuji (Japan)