Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit named in Stormers' touring squad

Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit has recovered from a back injury to be named in the Stormers’ 27-man touring squad to Australasia.

After getting their 2018 Super Rugby campaign off to a winning start with a 28-20 victory against the Jaguares at Newlands on Saturday, the Stormers fly to Sydney to face the Waratahs, before playing the Highlanders and Crusaders.

Although hooker Bongi Mbonambi will not be part of the squad due to a burst appendix, Du Toit has been cleared to tour.

Mbonambi’s withdrawal means that hooker Dean Muir, who made his Stormers debut off the bench against the Jaguares, is included in the touring squad along with the likes of loose forward Sikhumbuzo Notshe and prop Caylib Oosthuizen, who did not feature in the opening game at Newlands.

‘We enjoy touring as a group and feel that there were plenty of positives in our performance against the Jaguares that we can build on in the coming weeks,’ coach Robbie Fleck said.

‘The players have embraced the challenges that lie ahead of us and will be going all-out to raise our game further away from home.’

Stormers touring squad – Nizaam Carr, Damian de Allende, Jan de Klerk, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Dewaldt Duvenage, JJ Engelbrecht, JC Janse van Rensburg, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi (captain), Dillyn Leyds, Wilco Louw, SP Marais, Dean Muir, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Caylib Oosthuizen, Justin Phillips, Raymond Rhule, Carlu Sadie, Ramone Samuels, JD Schickerling, Seabelo Senatla, Kobus van Dyk, Chris van Zyl, EW Viljoen, George Whitehead, Cobus Wiese, Damian Willemse.