Experienced prop Brok Harris will lead a 28-man DHL Stormers XV squad in their first pre-season match against the South-Western Districts Eagles at Outeniqua Park in George on Friday evening.
The encounter against the Southern Cape side, which kicks off at 18h30 on Friday, will be the first opportunity for game time ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
The extended matchday squad includes all six of the DHL Stormers' new signings in Courtnall Skosan, Ben Loader, Lizo Gqoboka, Sti Sithole, Hendre Stassen and Warrick Gelant, plus a few talented young players such as flyhalf Jurie Matthee, centre Mnombo Zwelendaba and flank Jarrod Taylor who are being given a chance to show what they can do.
There is a good blend of youth and experience across the starting XV and extended bench, with Harris' fellow DHL Stormers centurion Juan de Jongh one of five Springboks in the matchday squad.
Head Coach John Dobson said that after what has been a lengthy pre-season, every player is itching to get out there at Outeniqua Park.
"There has been some hard work put in over the last few months, which has been building up to this. We have got an exciting mix of players who are all looking forward to putting what we have worked on into practice.
"The crowd in George is always electric and we are expecting the usual spirited effort from the home side, which should make for a great occasion," he said.
DHL Stormers XV: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Mnombo Zwelendaba, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Jarrod Taylor, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Adre Smith, 3 Brok Harris (captain), 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Ali Vermaak. Replacements (from): 16. JJ Kotze, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Lizo Gqoboka, 19 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 20 Hendre Stassen, 21 Dylan Sjoblom, 22 Keenan Opperman, 23 Tom Bursey, 24 Godlen Masimla, 25 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 26 Juan de Jongh, 27 Chris Hollis, 28 Warrick Gelant.
