CAPE TOWN – The Stormers have made four changes to their starting line-up for their Rainbow Cup SA match against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.
There are two changes in the backline. Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies returns from injury to replace Godlen Masimla, who picked up an injury against the Bulls in Round Two. In the other change out back, Edwill van der Merwe comes in on the wing, after coming off the bench last week.
Up front, Willie Engelbrecht, who made his Stormers debut at No 8, will start at blindside flank in Johannesburg. Pieter-Steph du Toit, who played his first game in over a year against the Sharks two weeks ago , has been brilliant in their first two games, but this week he gets a break.
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In the second row, Ernst van Rhyn comes in for Marvin Orie after the Springbok lock was ruled out of the crucial clash due to concussion protocols.
Among the replacements, loosehead prop Ali Vermaak, flyhalf Tim Swiel, who returns from injury, and Juarno Augustus, who is set to join English side Northampton Saints in July after getting an early release from his contract, are additions to the bench.
Stormers head coach John Dobson said his team is looking for an accurate performance in Johannesburg.
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"We want to show that we are capable of delivering an 80-minute performance and this is a great opportunity to do so.
"The team has trained well this week and we are determined to put together a cohesive effort to get the result that we need," he said.
Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 David Meihuizen, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Johan du Toit, 21 Juarno Augustus, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Tim Swiel.
IOL Sport