DHL Stormers face new frontier in Leicester

The DHL Stormers will face the Leicester Tigers for the first time in their Investec Champions Cup opener at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Sunday.

Experienced prop Brok Harris will lead the team in Leicester, with kick-off on Sunday at 17h15 (SAST).

Flyhalf Jurie Matthee, who featured regularly for DHL Western Province in the Currie Cup last season, will make his DHL Stormers debut, as will lock Dylan Sjoblom who has been named among the replacements.

Clayton Blommeties is at fullback and is joined in the back three by two wings who have experience playing in England in Courtnall Skosan and Ben Loader.

Suleiman Hartzenberg makes his first start of the season at outside centre, forming a midfield partnership with Jean-Luc du Plessis, while Matthee will link up with scrumhalf Paul de Wet.

No.8 Keke Morabe will have flanks Willie Engelbrecht and Nama Xaba on either side of him, while there are also first starts this season for locks Hendre Stassen and Connor Evans.

The front row sees Harris joined by experienced hooker Scarra Ntubeni and loosehead Sti Sithole.

There are also first appearances this season for hooker JJ Kotze, loose forward Junior Pokomela and centre Cornel Smit on the replacements bench.

DHL Stormers Head Coach John Dobson said that his team is looking forward to the challenge.

"Mattioli Woods Welford Road is a renowned rugby venue with a lot of history and we are determined to impress as the first DHL Stormers team to play there.

"It has been something of a balancing act given the six-day turnaround before our home game next week, but we are excited to see how this team performs on the big stage," he said.

Following the clash in Leicester the DHL Stormers will be back on home turf for four consecutive Summer Sundowner matches at DHL Stadium.

They face back-to-back Investec Champions Cup winners Stade Rochelais on 16 December ahead of Vodacom United Rugby Championship derbies against the Vodacom Bulls (23 December) and Hollywoodbets Sharks 30 December) before taking on the Sale Sharks on 13 January. Tickets for all four games are on sale from Ticketpro.

DHL Stormers: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Nama Xaba, 5 Connor Evans, 4 Hendre Stassen, 3 Brok Harris (captain), 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Sti Sithole.

Replacements: 16: JJ Kotze, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Dylan Sjoblom, 20 Junior Pokomela, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Cornel Smit.