Cape Town - Rynhardt Elstadt has failed a late fitness test and will be replaced by Eben Etzebeth for the Stormers’ first Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes on Saturday.

Kick-off is at 17:05.

This leaves the Stormers without an established enforcer option, and coach Allister Coetzee has decided to hand Etzebeth the responsibility in his very first Super Rugby match.

Juan de Jongh will not feature because of a jaw injury. Bryan Habana will partner Jean de Villiers in midfield, and this move opens up a space for Gerhard van den Heever on the wing.

Gary van Aswegen will start at flyhalf in the absence of Peter Grant, who is still playing rugby in Japan, and will be joined by Dewaldt Duvenage at scrumhalf.

Nick Koster will start at No 8 despite the return of regular eighthman Duane Vermeulen. Vermeulen will play blindside flank.

Teams:

Stormers:

15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Bryan Habana, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Gary van Aswegen, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nick Koster, 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Siya Kolisi, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Marcel Brache

Hurricanes:

TBA