Stormers fullback Jaco Taute is likely to miss his side's opening Vodacom Super Rugby game against the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Taute has been nursing a knee injury which he picked up in 2013, and although he has had successful training sessions and pre-season games with the Cape side, coach Allister Coetzee is playing it safe with the 22-year-old after his last-minute withdrawal from the warm-up against Boland on Saturday.

'Jaco’s knee flared up a bit, what with his workload in recent weeks. I certainly didn’t want to rush him – he has come back from a serious knee injury,' said Coetzee. 'He’s not injured, he could easily have played, but we will be conservative with him and, in fact, I don’t think he will be considered for our opening game against the Lions.'

The Stormers went down 29-24 to Boland in their final pre-season fixture.

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