A 19-year-old loose forward has been included in the Stormers provisional squad for next year's Super 12.
Schalk Burger, who played for the Western Province under-21 team this year, is one of three from the age-group team included in coach Gert Smal's squad. The others are hooker Schalk Brits and prop Pat Barnard.
Enrico Januarie, the 20-year-old Boland scrumhalf, is also included.
Burger, the son of former Springbok and Western Province lock Schalk Burger who played six tests for the Springboks in the 1980s, was rated by WP under-21 coach Francois Bonthuys as "our best forward this year".
The Stormers squad is made up of 20 forwards and 17 backs.
Eight players still injured who were not included are Pieter Dixon, Daan Human, Faan Rautenbach, Cobus Visagie, Bob Skinstad, Tjoepie van den Heever, Andries Human, of Boland and Morne van der Merwe.
"This is a bigger group than planned," said Smal.
"I need an opportunity to assess players that have performed well and showed potential this season."
The inclusion of Burger and Brits is significant because neither has played Currie Cup rugby. Both were invited to WP training, however, and Brits was on the bench for WP's Currie Cup match against the Lions.
Barnard, Burger and Januarie played for the victorious South African team in the under-21 World Cup. Barnard made his WP debut against Border, but was injured for most of the season.
On January 15 the squad will be trimmed to 30 and when the Stormers travel to Australasia they will be further reduced to 26.
The Stormers squad starts training on November 18. They will play two warm-up matches in Britain against Sale in Manchester on February 4 and the Sharks at the Stoop, near Twickenham, three days later. They face the Bulls on January 25 at either Newlands or Wellington.
The game against the Sharks in London has been scheduled abroad because both teams are eager to sell themselves to the 600 000 South African expatriates living in Britain. Almost a month later the Stormers and Sharks play in the Super 12 at Newlands on February 21.
In spite of injuries this year, the Stormers finished seventh on the log and were the best placed South African team in the Super 12.
Stormers squad:
Forwards: Eddie Andrews, Adri Badenhorst, Pat Barnard, Selborne Boome, Schalk Brits, Schalk Burger, Quinton Davids, Henley du Plessis (Boland), Pietie Ferreira, Hendrik Gerber, Jaco Gouws (SWD), David Hendriks (Boland), Randile Julies (SWD), Corne Krige, Rob Linde, Hottie Louw, Chris Potgieter (Boland), Gustav Rademeyer, Pierre Uys, Martin van Schalkwyk.
Backs: De Wet Barry, Darryl Coeries (SWD), Johannes Conradie, Neil de Kock, Noel Oelshig (SWD), Jean de Villiers, Gaffie du Toit, Rob Fleck, Werner Greeff, Enrico Januarie (Boland), Marius Joubert, Breyton Paulse, Chris Rossouw, Egon Seconds, Gus Theron, Lean van Dyk, Leon van der Heever (Boland).
Stormers fixtures for 2003:
February 21: v Sharks (Newlands). March 1: v Highlanders (Dunedin). March 7: v Hurricanes (Wellington). March 14: v Stormers (Canberra). March 21: v Waratahs v (Sydney). April 5: v Bulls (Pretoria). April 12: v Reds (Newlands). April 19: v Blues (Newlands). April 26: v Chiefs (Newlands). May 3: v Crusaders (Newlands). May 10: v Cats (Newlands).
May 17: Super 12 semifinals
May 24: Super 12 final