Schalk Burger will make a return to the Stormers line-up after an injury lay-off and will lead the side against the Highlanders in Saturday’s Super 14 fixture at Newlands.

Burger’s troublesome hamstring has healed and flanker Pieter Louw who has done an excellent job in recent matches returns to the substitutes’ bench.

Another change is at scrumhalf where Springbok Ricky Januarie makes way for Dewaldt Duvenhage. The Stormers’ management felt that Duvenhage’s game would offer the side greater value against the New Zealanders.

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said that several players in the squad will be given a chance ahead of the tour to Australia and New Zealand and that he is also keeping an eye on players in the WP Vodacom Cup team.

In the case of Anton van Zyl who has been promoted to the run-on XV at the expense of De Kock Steenkamp, Coetzee said that lock Adriaan Fondse will soon be available and that he wanted all the locks to have enough time to establish their selection claims.

Stormers team: Joe Pietersen; Gio Aplon, Jaques Fourie, Juan de Jongh, Bryan Habana; Peter Grant, Dewaldt Duvenage; Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Schalk Burger (captain); Andries Bekker, Anton van Zyl; Brok Harris, Tiaan Liebenberg and Wicus Blaauw.

Replacements: Deon Fourie, JC Kritzinger, De Kock Steenkamp, Pieter Louw, Ricky Januarie, Lionel Cronje and Sireli Naqelevuki.
M&G