Stormers beef up for Otago's front-row threat

The Stormers have boosted their front row for Sunday's Super 12 rugby match against the Highlanders in Dunedin.

Tighthead prop Morne van der Merwe is the only change in the starting line-up named on Wednesday from the side that beat the Hurricanes in Wellington last week.

He replaces Faan Rautenbach in an attempt to neutralise the Highlanders' All Black front three of Kees Meeuws, Anton Oliver and Carl Hoeft.

The Stormers have not been too impressive in the tight phases in the first three rounds of the competition, particularly the scrums and lineouts. Van der Merwe has done reasonably well in the previous games he came on off the bench.

Sapa reports that Springbok flyhalf Jaco van der Westhuyzen makes his eagerly awaited return to the game on Friday night.

He has been included on the Blue Bulls bench for their Vodacom Cup match against the Border Bulldogs in East London.

Van der Westhuyzen, who became a Springbok during the home leg of the Tri-Nations competition last year, seriously injured his knee in the Currie Cup last year.

Instead of having an operation, he opted to visit a faith healer in Nigeria and according to him he has been cured.

In Durban, Sharks coach Rudolf Straeuli on Tuesday named his side showing eight changes for the Super 12 match against the Hurricanes in Durban on Saturday.

Out are captain and lock Mark Andrews for flank-cum-lock Phillip Smit. His second-row partner is another flank, Charl van Rensburg, who replaces Albert van den Berg.

Van Rensburg's place on the flank is taken by AJ Venter, who made way for Brad Macleod-Henderson at No 8.

In the front row, Brent Moyle returns from suspension to replace Etienne Fynn, another to drop out of the squad, and national under-23 prop Eduard Coetzee is in for the injured Ollie le Roux.

Hentie Martens starts ahead of Craig Davidson at scrumhalf. Injured wing Stephen Brink is replaced by Justin Swart.

Stormers:

Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, Robbie Fleck, Stuart Abbott, Werner Greeff, Braam van Straaten, Dan van Zyl, Bobby Skinstad, Corne Krige (capt), Hendrik Gerber, Rob Brink, Hottie Louw, Morne van der Merwe, Charl Marais, Robbie Kempson. Bench: Pieter Dixon, Faan Rautenbach, John Slade, Chean Roux, Robert Markram, John Daniels, Neil de Kock

Kick-off: 3.30am (live on M-Net)

Sharks:

Ricardo Loubscher, Stefan Terblanche, Deon Kayser, Trevor Halstead, Justin Swart, Butch James, Hentie Martens, Brad Macleod-Henderson, AJ Venter, Warren Britz, Philip Smit, Charl van Rensburg, Brent Moyle, John Smit (capt), Eduard Coetzee. Bench: Lukas van Biljon, Deon Carstens, Albert van den Berg, Warren Brosnihan, Craig Davidson, Gaffie du Toit, Andre Snyman