Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has named an unchanged starting XV to tackle the Chiefs at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.
Coetzee has kept the changes to a minimum - making just two adjustments to the bench.
Fit-again Springbok hooker Tiaan Liebenberg comes in for Martin Bezuidenhout on the bench, whilst Dewaldt Duvenage replaces Louis Schreuder as the back-up scrum-half to Nic Groom.
Groom will, again, combine with Elton Jantjies at halfback, with Damian de Allende and captain Jean de Villiers starting at centre for the third match in succession - giving the team much-needed continuity in crucial backline positions.
The Stormers have not played against the Chiefs at Newlands since 2009, but these two sides have enjoyed some great battles over the years in Super Rugby, with the Stormers leading the head-to-head tally by eight wins to the Chiefs' six victories.
Stormers: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Don Armand, 19 Nizaam Carr, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Peter Grant, 22 Gerhard van den Heever.
Date: Saturday, March 9
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17:05 (15:05 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Comments
JayStarr says...
Once again, great team packed with incredible talent and potential... which is absolutely useless if they don't play with the right attitude (or game plan).
If they don't lift their game in every area by at least 25% from last week, they're going to get their backsides whipped.
IF YOU WANT TO BE CHAMPIONS THEN YOU HAVE TO PLAY LIKE CHAMPIONS !
Posted 18:09 06th March 2013
right14wing says...
I am of the opinion that a better team could have been selected here! , I do wonder what is happening in the Stormers camp.
Posted 12:42 06th March 2013