Seabelo Senatla to make first Super Rugby start of 2017

Seabelo Senatla will make his first Super Rugby start of the season on the wing for the Stormers against the Sunwolves in Singapore on Saturday.

South Africa’s all-time leading sevens try-scorer is one of seven changes to the Stormers starting lineup that beat the Southern Kings 41-10 nearly two weeks ago.

The Stormers travelled to Asia without several key players such as locks Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ who are being rested as part of a Springbok player management agreement.

Captain Siya Kolisi‚ who was rested against the Kings‚ returns while 19-year-old looseforward Cobus Wiese is set for his debut if he comes off the bench.

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Dillyn Leyds will start at fullback in a new back three alongside Senatla and Bjorn Basson. Dan Kriel is back from injury to partner EW Viljoen in the midfield‚ but the halfback combination of Robert du Preez and Dewaldt Duvenage remains unchanged.

There is an all-new lock pairing as JD Schickerling makes his first appearance of the season alongside Chris van Zyl.

In the front row props JC Janse van Rensburg and Wilco Louw are back in the starting line-up on either side of hooker Bongi Mbonambi.

On the replacements bench prop Caylib Oosthuizen is in line to make his Stormers debut‚ with lock Jan de Klerk and scrumhalf Godlen Masimla are both set for their first opportunity of the season.

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Coach Robbie Fleck said that it would be vital for his team to stand together and maintain their focus for 80 minutes against the Sunwolves.

"It has been a good week of preparation for us and we are really excited to see the players in the match-day squad take this opportunity‚” Fleck said.

"We know it will be tough against the Sunwolves here in Singapore‚ but it is a challenge that excites us.”

• Stormers to test depth against SunwolvesThe Stormers will give chances to fringe players when they take on the Sunwolves in a fifth round Super Rugby match in Singapore at the weekend. 

Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds‚ 14 Bjorn Basson‚ 13 EW Viljoen‚ 12 Dan Kriel‚ 11 Seabelo Senatla‚ 10 Robert du Preez‚ 9 Dewaldt Duvenage‚ 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe‚ 7 Siya Kolisi (captain)‚ 6 Rynhardt Elstadt‚ 5 JD Shickerling‚ 4 Chris van Zyl‚ 3 Wilco Louw‚ 2 Bongi Mbonambi‚ 1 JC Janse van Rensburg. 


Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels‚ 17 Caylib Oosthuizen‚ 18 Oli Kebble‚ 19 Jan de Klerk‚ 20 Cobus Wiese‚ 21 Godlen Masimla‚ 22 Kurt Coleman‚ 23 Dan du Plessis.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport