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Cape Town - Fullback SP Marais and flank Rynhardt Elstadt return for the Stormers’ Super Rugby quarter-final against the Chiefs at Newlands on Saturday.
The experienced duo return from injury in the only two changes to the Stormers’ starting line-up for the playoff match, which kicks off at 17:00 on Saturday.
In the only change to the backline, Marais returns from a knee injury and starts at fullback, with Dillyn Leyds moving to the wing and Seabelo Senatla set to provide impact off the bench.
Elstadt was a late withdrawal last week due to a wrist injury, but is fit to take his place on the side of the scrum for the quarter-final, with Sikhumbuzo Notshe among the replacements.
There are just two other changes to the match-day squad, with fit-again props Oli Kebble and Wilco Louw both included on the replacements bench.
Stormers head coach Robbie Fleck said that his team is looking forward to playing in front of the Newlands faithful.
“The players and management have put in a lot of hard work and in preparation for this game,” said Fleck.
“It was a cracker of a game when we played the Chiefs at Newlands earlier in the season and we are looking forward to another one.”
Teams:
Stormers
15 SP Marais, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 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 Oli Kebble, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Justin Phillips, 22 Seabelo Senatla, 23 Juan de Jongh
Chiefs
15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Solomon Alaimalo, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Stephen Donald, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden (co-captain), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Michael Leitch, 7 Sam Cane (co-captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Mitchell Brown, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Nathan Harris, 1 Kane Hames
Substitutes: 16 Liam Polwart, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Atu Moli, 19 Dominic Bird, 20 Lachlan Boshier, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Tim Nanai-Williams, 23 Shaun Stevenson
