CAPE TOWN – Dillyn Leyds will play his 50th match for the Stormers against the Sharks at Newlands on Saturday.
Leyds will start at fullback in a Stormers team that features five changes for the Super Rugby coastal derby, which kicks off at 5.15pm at Newlands on Saturday.
The Stormers will be led by Pieter-Steph du Toit in the absence of captain Siya Kolisi, who has been ruled out through illness, with his place on the side of the scrum taken by Kobus van Dyk.
The only other changes to the forward pack will see props JC Janse van Rensburg and Frans Malherbe come into the starting line-up on either side of hooker Bongi Mbonambi, with JD Schickerling and Juarno Augustus among the replacements.
In the backline EW Viljoen starts at outside centre, with JJ Engelbrecht shifting to the wing and Craig Barry on the replacements bench alongside Josh Stander and scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, who will make his Super Rugby debut if he comes on.
Pieter-Steph du Toit will lead the Stormers in the absence of Siya Kolisi. Photo: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck said that his team will be looking to end their campaign on a positive note against the Sharks.
“This weekend gives us another chance to play in front of our fans at DHL Newlands, so we are determined to put together a good performance,” said Fleck,
“South African derbies are always tough and this should be a great game to watch, we are looking forward to the challenge.”
The Stormers team is:
15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 JJ Engelbrecht, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain), 6 Kobus van Dyk, 5 Jan de Klerk, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 JC Janse van Rensberg.
Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Juarno Augustus, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Josh Stander, 23 Craig Barry.