Liebenberg to tackle Sharks

Tiaan Liebenberg will start at hooker for the Stormers at Newlands this Saturday in the absence of injured incumbent Deon Fourie.

Fourie sustained a hamstring injury in last week's win against the Bulls. He has been ruled out of the Stormers' last league match against the Sharks, which is also the Cape side's last of the season.

Coach Allister Coetzee has made no further changes to the starting XV. A victory against the Sharks this Saturday would allow the Stormers to finish the season with eight wins, and two against the South African conference champions.

'Like I said at the start of last week, these last two games are very important for us, but this last one is probably the most important one because that is where you leave your last impressions,' said Coetzee.

'We definitely would like to end the 2014 season on a high. If we don’t get the result it will be a bit of a setback.'

Liebenberg's promotion to the starting line-up sees Stephan Coetzee included on the bench as hooker cover.

Schalk Burger will again lead the team from the No 7 jersey, before he leaves for Japan until the start of the 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby tournament. Gio Aplon will make his last appearance before taking up a contract with French club Grenoble.

Stormers – 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger (c), 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Subs: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Martin Dreyer, 19 Manuel Carizza, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Peter Grant, 23 Seabelo Senatla.

Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

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