Brok leads Stormers into new frontier
TEAMS ANNOUNCEMENT: The Stormers will face the Leicester Tigers for the first time in their Champions Cup season opener at Welford Road on Sunday.
Experienced prop Brok Harris will lead the team in Leicester.
Flyhalf Jurie Matthee, who featured regularly for Western Province in the Currie Cup last season, will make his Stormers debut, as will lock Dylan Sjoblom who has been named among the replacements.
Clayton Blommeties is at fullback and is joined in the back three by two wings who have experience playing in England in Courtnall Skosan and Ben Loader.
Suleiman Hartzenberg makes his first start of the season at outside centre, forming a midfield partnership with Jean-Luc du Plessis, while Matthee will link up with scrumhalf Paul de Wet.
No.8 Keke Morabe will have flanks Willie Engelbrecht and Nama Xaba on either side of him, while there are also first starts this season for locks Hendre Stassen and Connor
Evans.
The front row sees Harris joined by experienced hooker Scarra Ntubeni and loosehead Sti Sithole.
There are also first appearances this season for hooker JJ Kotze, loose forward Junior Pokomela and centre Cornel Smit on the replacements bench.
Following the clash in Leicester the Stormers will be back on home turf for four consecutive matches at the Cape Town Stadium.
They face back-to-back Champions Cup winners Stade Rochelais on December 16 - ahead of United Rugby Championship derbies against the Bulls (December 23) and Sharks (December 30), before taking on the Sale Sharks on 13 January.
Stormers: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Nama Xaba, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Hendre Stassen, 3 Brok Harris (captain), 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16: JJ Kotze, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Junior Pokomela, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Cornel Smit.
Date: Sunday, December 10
Venue: Welford Road, Leicester
Kick-off: 15.15 (17.15 SA time; 15.15 GMT)
Referee: Tual Trainini (France)
Assistant referees: Adrien Marbot (France), Evan Urruzmendi (France)
TMO: Cédric Marchat (France)