Stormers boosted by return of captain Ruhan Nel for URC knockout clash

Nel is joined by experienced backs Seabelo Senatla and Dan du Plessis in the only changes to the starting line-up for the big knock-out clash, which kicks off at 15:30 on Saturday.

Nel and du Plessis will make their 30th start together as the centre pairing to draw level with De Wet Barry and Marius Joubert as the Stormers’ most-capped midfield combination.

Senatla returns from injury to take his place on the right wing, with the starting forward pack unchanged from the last league match of the season.

Props Vernon Matongo and Zachary Porthen come onto the replacements bench, along with utility forward Ruan Ackermann, who also makes his return from injury.

Director of Rugby John Dobson said that his team is determined to make the most of home advantage.

"We enjoy incredible support at DHL Stadium, and we know that this will be another memorable occasion as knock-out rugby returns to Cape Town," he told the Stormers website.

"We have some key players returning, which makes this one of the most experienced DHL Stormers teams that we have ever selected.

"We have earned this opportunity to play a Quarter-Final in front of our fans and we want to make it count."

Stormers - 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel (c), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adre Smith, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.

Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee.