The Stormers have made several changes to their starting lineup to face Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.
Captain Ruhan Nel misses out through a calf injury, with Willemse moving from fullback to inside centre and Dan du Plessis to 13. Warrick Gelant regains the No 15 jersey.
There is also a start for Imad Khan at scrumhalf in the injury absence of Cobus Reinach.
In further changes to the team which demolished Glasgow Warriors at Cape Town Stadium two weeks ago, veteran Deon Fourie starts at openside flank and takes over the captaincy from Nel.
Fourie – who will likely also provide hooker cover – forms a back row with Ben-Jason Dixon and the tournament’s leading try-scorer Evan Roos.
It will be Fourie’s 140th Stormers cap. In another notable achievement, Roos will draw level with Duane Vermeulen for the most starts in the No 8 jersey for the Stormers as he runs on for his 73rd game at the back of the scrum.
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In the front row, Sazi Sande replaces Neethling Fouché who drops out of the match 23.
There is a 6-2 split on the bench, with Stefan Ungerer and Jurie Mathee providing backline cover.
“We have been forced to make a few changes, but we are excited about what this team can do and we know it will take the best of us to get the win,” said director of rugby John Dobson.
“As we get closer to the playoffs the stakes get higher each week and this is a crucial match in the context of our season.”
The log-leading Stormers face Ulster and Cardiff over the next two weeks to complete the league stage of the competition.
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Ulster, with former Stormers No 8 Juarno Augustus to the fore, are on a high after clinching a berth in the EPCR Challenge Cup final with victory over Exeter on Saturday.
STORMERS – 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Wandisile Simelane, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Deon Fourie (c), 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Bench: 16 Paul de Villiers, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Hacjivah Dayimani, 21 Keke Morabe, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Mathee.
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
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The Stormers have made several changes to their starting lineup to face Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.
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