New lock signing Porter to make Stormers debut against Scarlets

Lock Gary Porter will make his Stormers URC debut when they tackle Welsh side Scarlets at Cape Town Stadium on Friday night.

Porter, 26, signed a deal with the Stormers in August after a stint at the Ealing Trailfinders in England's RFU Championship.

Porter joined the Western Province Rugby Institute straight out of school before representing the Ikey Tigers in the Varsity Cup, while attaining a psychology degree.

Also making their first starts of the season are centre Cornel Smit, flyhalf Kade Wolhuter and flank Marcel Theunissen, while Leon Lyons, Connor Evans and Jean-Luc du Plessis all come onto the bench.

Ernst van Rhyn will skipper the Stormers, packing down at second row alongside Porter. Elsewhere in the pack, Leolin Zas, Joseph Dweba, Sazi Sandi, JJ Kotze and Herschel Jantjies all make their return from national duties.

15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Gary Porter, 4 Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ali Vermaak

Substitutes: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Leon Lyons, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Ben-Jason Dixon, 21 Nama Xaba, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Jean-Luc du Plessis

Stormers coach John Dobson said the players were eager to make their mark after a rest period.

"The players getting an opportunity this week have all been training incredibly hard all season and are determined to make the most of this game.

"We are pleased with the depth we have built already this season and this is also a side that features plenty of experience in key positions, so we are excited to see how they go," he said.

As there are eight players in the Springbok squad