This will only be the second time this year that the Stormers play at home at the Cape Town Stadium.
The return to action of Warrick Gelant and Seabelo Senatla means Damian Willemse will wear the No 12 jersey when the Stormers host Connacht in a United Rugby Championship match at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, with kick-off at 4pm.
Willemse will partner Dan du Plessis is an exciting partnership, especially with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the flyhalf position.
Gelant will again run out at fullback, while Senatla will feature on the wing.
Further changes to lineup
There is also a change at scrumhalf where Stefan Ungerer returns to the starting lineup.
Up front, there are two changes to the front row, with André-Hugo Venter starting at hooker and Sazi Sandi at tighthead in place of the suspended Neethling Fouché, with Frans Malherbe unavailable due to injury.
Captain Salmaan Moerat makes his return from a minor foot injury to take his place in the second row alongside Ruben van Heerden, who’ll earn his 50th Stormers cap at the weekend, while Paul de Villiers makes his first start at openside flank.
The replacements bench also sees a few changes from the last time the Cape-based team were in action.
Lock JD Schickerling returns to action following a lengthy injury layoff, while the experienced Brok Harris, Deon Fourie, Paul de Wet and Ben Loader are all set to feature, and so, too, young loosehead prop Vernon Matongo who is set to make his first URC appearance.
Return to Cape Town Stadium
Director of Rugby John Dobson said that his team cannot wait to play in front of their fans once again. The Stormers have played at the Cape Town Stadium only four times this season and only once this year.
“It has been more than two months since we played at home and we are really excited to see what this team can do on Saturday,” said Dobson.
“We have got some key players back in the mix and the build-up has been good. We understand just how important this run of games is in the context of our season and will be going all-out to make our supporters proud.”
The Stormers are 10th on the points table and with just four rounds of action to come before the playoffs are contested, will want to make the most of their final four games, which are all at home.
Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Dan du Plessis, Damian Willemse, Seabelo Senatla, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Stefan Ungerer, Evan Roos, Marcel Theunissen, Paul de Villiers, Ruben van Heerden, Salmaan Moerat (capt), Sazi Sandi, André-Hugo Venter, Ali Vermaak. Bench: JJ Kotze, Vernon Matongo, Brok Harris, JD Schickerling, Louw Nel, Deon Fourie, Paul de Wet, Ben Loader.
