Stormers playing for pride

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has axed flyhalf Elton Jantjies and recalled fit-again centre Jean de Villiers for their season-ending Super 15 fixture against the Bulls at Newlands on Saturday.

De Villiers has recovered from a sternum injury he sustained playing for the Springboks in June, and Jantjies has paid the price for another patchy performance against the Kings last week.

The mercurial flyhalf missed several tackles and again failed to direct the backline accurately as the Stormers laboured to a 24-12 win. He has been replaced by Gary van Aswegen for this match.

Although Coetzee never criticises players publicly, privately Jantjies' lack of consistent form must have upset the coach. The two-Test Springbok hasn't delivered on his undoubted potential - especially as the Stormers pack has seldom been on the back foot.

Coetzee sugar-coated the axing. He said it was to do with a left- and right-footed kicking combination with fullback Joe Pietersen out through injury.

Pietersen's injury means no sendoff for the fullback at Newlands, as he takes up a contract with club side Biarritz in France at the conclusion of the campaign.

"With Gio [Aplon] at fullback, a left-footer, bringing in Gary at flyhalf gives us the important option of having the combination of a left- and right-footed kicker [in our backline]," Coetzee said.

In the midfield, De Villiers takes over from Damian de Allende, who drops to the bench having overcome an ankle injury sustained against the Kings.

Blindside flank Rynhardt Elstadt returned to the starting line-up after making his injury comeback off the bench last weekend. He replaces Don Armand.

Although the Stormers are playing for little more than pride, they won't be doing the Bulls any favours by rolling over. There is also the small matter of a fitting send-off for star wing Bryan Habana. The decorated Bok flyer will play his 57th and last game for the Stormers - he is joining French Top 14 club, Toulon - fittingly against the team with which he won two Super rugby titles.

"This Saturday is not about trying to spoil the Bulls' party. It's about the players getting some pride back for the supporters. After three very good years of reaching the knockout stages, 2013 has been disappointing," Habana said.

THE STORMERS: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Gary van Aswegen, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Reserves: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Gerbrandt Grobler, 19 Don Armand, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Damian de Allende.