Habana back in business

Stormers wing, Bryan Habana, will make his return from a knee injury on Friday. This after seven weeks on the sidelines.

Flyhalf, Elton Jantjies, is not yet fit for action.

Damien de Allende drops to the bench to make way for Habana, while Gio Aplon shifts across to the right wing for the team's Vodacom Super Rugby clash against New Zealand outfit the Hurricanes in Palmerston North on Friday.

In other changes made to the side on Wednesday, Stormers head coach Allister Coetzee said Pat Cilliers would start at tighthead prop, while hooker Scarra Ntubeni, prop Brok Harris, Rynhardt Elstadt (lock and flank cover) and scrumhalf Nic Groom would join the matchday squad on the bench.

Ntubeni picked up a shoulder injury during pre-season training, while Elstadt also returns from a shoulder niggle after missing their last two matches.

Louis Schreuder would provide flyhalf cover from the bench, Coetzee confirmed, with Jantjies given one more week to be ready for their next clash against the Blues in Albany.

"Elton trained well this week," Coetzee said. "I said earlier in the week that he was at 80 percent, but we want to ensure that he has a full week of training (next week) and that we have him ready for the Blues match. (Prop) Frans Malherbe is also getting a break this week, mainly as part of our rotation policy, but also to rest a slight AC-joint injury which he suffered against the Sharks."

Stormers team: Joe Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Gary van Aswegen, Dewaldt Duvenage, Duane Vermeulen, Michael Rhodes, Siya Kolisi, Andries Bekker, De Kock Steenkamp, Pat Cilliers, Deon Fourie, Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements: Scarra Ntubeni, Brok Harris, Rynhardt Elstadt, Nizaam Carr, Nic Groom, Louis Schreuder, Damian de Allende.

Kickoff is at 09h35 in the morning - South African time.

- Sapa

(File Photo:Gallo Images)