Stormers skipper is 'touch and go'
Stormers skipper Schalk Burger says he is 'touch and go' to face the Force at Newlands on Saturday due to a badly bruised lower back.
The experienced flank will wait until Friday's captain's run to make a call on whether he will be fit to lead the bottom-placed Stormers against an in-form Force side.
Burger took a knee to the back in the defeat to the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld last weekend, and he admitted that he might not feature this weekend.
"I am touch and go to be honest, I took a massive knee right next to my Coccyx," he explained.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said that Duane Vermeulen would take over the captaincy if Burger is not fit to play, but expressed optimism that he would pull through.
"We are waiting for captain's to see if Schalla runs freely, but there has been improvement of his hematoma that he picked up against the Bulls," he said.
Peter Grant will start at flyhalf in what will be his 100th match for the Stormers.
Grant moves from inside centre to the No.10 shirt in one of five changes to the starting line-up that went down 12-28 to the Bulls in Pretoria last weekend.
He will become just the third-ever Stormers Super Rugby centurion.
Grant follows in the footsteps of Andries Bekker (105) and Jean de Villiers (104) in playing 100 matches for the Stormers, having first played for Western Province in 2004 and having made his Stormers debut in 2006.
Prop Brok Harris will make his 200th appearance for one of Cape Town's two teams – Western Province and the Stormers – on Saturday.
He has amassed 92 Stormers caps and made another 107 appearances for Western Province.
Harris made his WP debut in 2006 and his Super Rugby debut for the Stormers in 2007.
Grant's shift from No.12 to No.10 is one of two positional changes to the starting line-up this weekend – the other seeing Damian de Allende move from the right wing to inside centre.
Other changes to the starting line-up to face the Force this week see the return – from injury – of lock Michael Rhodes and wing Kobus van Wyk, whilst Deon Fourie will start at hooker in place of the injured Siyabonga Ntubeni.
Rhodes replaces debutant Jean Kleyn in the No.4 shirt, whilst Van Wyk's return in the No.14 jersey has allowed De Allende to move back into the midfield against the in-form Australian franchise.
Kleyn, meanwhile, drops to the replacement bench this week, where he is joined by flyhalf Kurt Coleman – who started against the Highlanders and the Bulls.
Hooker Stephan Coetzee, prop Martin Dreyer, loose forward Siya Kolisi, scrumhalf Dylon Frylinck and utility back Michael van der Spuy make up the remainder of the bench, with Frylinck still on debut should he get a run this week.
"We're happy to have Michael Rhodes and Kobus van Wyk back this week, whilst it's a special moment for Peter Grant who will wear the No.10 jersey in his 100th match for the Stormers," Coetzee said.
"Peter [Grant] and Brok [Harris] have been loyal servants and they deserve to be in the limelight this week. Hopefully we can make it a special day for both of them come Saturday."
Coetzee said the Stormers are "aware" of the threat posed by the Force.
"They're a well-organised team and will test us across the board," he added.
Stormers: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger (captain), 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Brok Harris.
Replacements: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 Martin Dreyer, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Dylon Frylinck, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Michael van der Spuy.
Date: Saturday, May 17
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT; 23.05 AWST)
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Marius Jonker (South Africa), Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
