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Stormers bank on experience for Loftus battle

Cape Town - The Stormers welcome back the experienced trio of Rynhardt Elstadt, Juan de Jongh and Sikhumbuzo Notshe to their match-day squad for Saturday’s Super Rugby encounter with the Bulls in Pretoria (15:05 kick-off).

Elstadt, who was suspended for a week, comes back into the starting line-up on the flank, while De Jongh and Notshe make their return from injury on the bench for what will be the Stormers’ final game of the regular season ahead of their home quarter-final at Newlands on July 22.

The only other changes to the run-on team come in the tight five, with prop Frans Malherbe and lock Eben Etzebeth having recovered from the flu which forced them to miss last week’s 52-15 victory against the Sunwolves at Newlands.

As a result Wilco Louw and Chris van Zyl will feature off the bench, along with De Jongh and Notshe.

Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck said his players are looking forward to another hard-fought encounter with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.

“We want to make a step-up in a number of areas this weekend and we know that we will face a total onslaught from the Bulls, which is what we are looking for,” Fleck said.

“We know that we are going to have to produce a big performance on Saturday and we are looking forward to the challenge.”

Saturday's clash at Loftus Versfeld is scheduled for 15:05.

Teams:

Bulls

15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Duncan Mathews, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Nick de Jager, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Shaun Adendorff, 5 RG Snyman, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Conraad van Vuurren, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Pierre Schoeman

Substitutes: 16 Jaco Visagie, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 John-Roy Jenkinson, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Ruan Steenkamp, 21 Piet Van Zyl, 22 Tony Jantjies, 23 Burger Odendaal

Stormers

15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.

Substitutes: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Justin Phillips, 22 Juan de Jongh, 23 Dan Kriel

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