Damian Willemse starts in a new-look Stormers lineup skippered by Neethling Fouche in Friday night’s round 14 Vodacom URC match against Ulster in Belfast.

Fouche comes in for tighthead prop Frans Malherbe, who is being rested along with regular captain Salmaan Moerat following last week’s victory over Scarlets.

Lock Connor Evans slots into the second row for only his second appearance this season and fifth career start for the Stormers. The only other change to the pack sees flanker Dave Ewers replace Deon Fourie, who has been ruled out due to HIA protocols.

Willemse will wear the No 15 jersey – Warrick Gelant falls out of the match-day squad – while outside centre Suleiman Hartzenberg returns for his first start in two months and veteran scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage takes over from Herschel Jantjies.

Paul de Wet will likely replace Duvenage in the second half, the scrumhalf set to play off a bench that also features Wandisile Simelane, Jurie Matthee, Andre-Hugo Venter, Brok Harris, Sazi Sandi, Gary Porter and Willie Engelbrecht.

ALSO: It’s going to be ‘gloves off’ in Belfast – Rito

With five rounds remaining in the race to the URC playoffs, the log is congested. The Stormers moved into eighth after their bonus-point win at Parc y Scarlets, but Ulster are just one point behind the Capetonians in ninth.

John Dobson’s men have won three of their last four outings against Ulster, although all of them were at home. The Stormers want to avenge a 35-5 defeat the last time the teams crossed swords at Kingspan Stadium and build on the momentum gained from their two consecutive wins away from home.

“After winning at Loftus Versfeld and then in Llanelli last week, we know that it will be crucial to carry that momentum into our run of four home matches,” Dobson said. “It is always a fierce contest against Ulster and we know that we will have to be on our game for the full 80 minutes to get the result we want.”

STORMERS – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Connor Evans, 3 Neethling Fouche (c), 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Bench: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Gary Porter, 20 Willie Engelbrecht, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Wandisile Simelane.

Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images