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Stormers pick rookie wing

Cape Town - Western Province Vodacom Cup star Devon Williams will make his first start for the Stormers when the team travels to Bloemfontein to take on the Cheetahs in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash on Saturday.

Kick-off is at 17:05.

Williams made his debut off the bench in last weekend’s 18-3 win over the Lions, but he will start in the No 11 jersey this week in the absence of Sailosi Tagicakibau who has not shaken off a sternum injury.

The 22-year-old Williams, a product of Paarl Boys’ High, was part of the cup-winning Western Province Under-21 team last year, whilst he is also the top try-scorer in the 2014 Vodacom Cup with nine tries in just six games.

Williams and fullback Jaco Taute are the new faces in the starting line-up, with Peter Grant moving back into the No 10 shirt in the absence of Demetri Catrakilis (broken nose), but prop Oliver Kebble, flank Schalk Burger, flyhalf Kurt Coleman and wing Kobus van Wyk have all been named on the bench this week.

Kebble (knee), Burger (quad) and Van Wyk (abductor muscle) are all back to full fitness this week, but hooker Scarra Ntubeni (calf muscle) and wing Cheslin Kolbe (knee) are still another week away at this stage.

Looking ahead to Saturday, Stormers coach Allister Coetzee told www.iamastormer.com: “We’re expecting a physical battle against a Cheetahs team that is always tough to play against in Bloemfontein.

“The Cheetahs are just behind us on the log, with one win and a draw, so both teams will be desperate to come away with a victory in our second all-South African derby in the space of just a week.”

Teams:

Cheetahs

TBA

Stormers

15. Jaco Taute, 14. Damian de Allende, 13. Juan de Jongh, 12. Jean de Villiers (captain), 11. Devon Williams, 10. Peter Grant, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Siya Kolisi, 6. Nizaam Carr, 5. Michael Rhodes, 4. Ruan Botha, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16. Stephan Coetzee, 17. Oliver Kebble, 18. Brok Harris, 19. Jurie van Vuuren, 20. Schalk Burger, 21. Louis Schreuder, 22. Kurt Coleman, 23. Kobus van Wyk

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
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