Du Preez at fullback for Stormers
Nizaam Carr will lead the Stormers into action when the South African conference winners face up to the Sharks in the final round of Super Rugby league action in Durban on Saturday.
Carr will line up at No.8 in a much-changed Stormers team from last weekend, the new skipper the only surviving starting player from his team's 19-all draw against the Lions at Newlands.
There are three Stormers debutants in the matchday 23 – with Robert du Preez starting at No.15 in his first taste of Super Rugby action, while flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe and hooker Michael Willemse making their first starts at this level.
Lock Jan de Klerk and scrumhalf Godlen Masimla will be looking to earn their first caps from the bench.
Jaco Taute (inside centre – in his 50th overall Super Rugby appearance), Michael Rhodes (No.7) and Kobus van Wyk (on the bench) are back in the mix following their injury lay-offs.
"We have a great opportunity here to give game time to some fringe players and to continue to increase the capacity within our squad," outgoing Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said in explaining his selections.
"Players like Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Manuel Carizza, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen, Nic Groom, Demetri Catrakilis, Damian de Allende, Juan de Jongh, Dillyn Leyds and Cheslin Kolbe have played a lot of rugby and deserve a break.
"However, the likes of Oliver Kebble, Vincent Koch, Ruan Botha, Michael Rhodes, Louis Schreuder, Kurt Coleman, Jaco Taute, Johnny Kotze – to name just a few – are by no means second-string players and they all have a massive opportunity to play for starting positions.
"We're in a fortunate position to be able to select a talented group of players who have everything to play for against a Sharks team that will be fired up and looking to finish their season on a high.
"The Sharks are also saying goodbye to three big players, loyal servants, so we're expecting a brutal clash and [we] know we need to be up for this match – physically and mentally."
Stormers: 15 Robert du Preez, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Pat Howard, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr (captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Oliver Kebble.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Alister Vermaak, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Jan de Klerk, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Seabelo Senatla, 23 Kobus van Wyk.
Date: Saturday, June 13
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 19.10 (17.10 GMT)
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant referees: Quinton Immelman, Archie Sehlako
TMO: Marius Jonker
