It’s unusual that a player has played more Tests than provincial matches but this weekend Stormers lock Eben Etzebeth reaches a significant milestone when he runs out for the 50th time in Super Rugby.

Etzebeth‚ who was named in the second row to face the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday‚ already has 54 Test caps and will reach his half-century for the Stormers at the Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Etzebeth‚ 25‚ made his Stormers debut in 2012 and later that year earned his first Bok cap in the June series against England.

He will lock the scrum alongside Jan de Klerk‚ who makes his first start in 2017.

Coach Robbie Fleck has reshuffled his team for the crucial match coming on the back of two consecutive losses for the Stormers.

Pieter-Steph du Toit will start at blindside flank again‚ after fulfilling the role during last week’s 57-24 loss to the Crusaders‚ while props Olli Kebble and Frans Malherbe start with Wilco Louw and JC Janse van Rensburg dropping to the bench.

Captain and flank Siya Kolisi returns after resting last week‚ which means a back row reshuffle.

Nizaam Carr moves from openside to No 8 with Sikhumbuzo Notshe dropping to the bench.

Kolisi will play openside while Maties Varsity Cup star Kobus van Dyk is included on the bench for a first appearance this year.

Scrumhalf Jano Vermaak rotates with Dewald Duvenage‚ centre Dan Kriel comes in for the injured Daniel du Plessis and fullback SP Marais returns after a groin strain with Dillyn Leyds moving to left wing.

Bjorn Basson drops to the bench where NZ centre Shaun Treeby also features for a potential Stormers debut.

“We feel the loose trio we have selected for this game has the right balance and the right sort of feel‚” said Fleck from Dunedin.

“We felt in the Lions game that preceded the tour that we needed someone to do the ball carrying role that Pieter-Steph does so well and that was why we chose him there last week.

“He had an outstanding game so we have decided to stick with it.

"Siya has played openside before but with him there we now feel we have two ball carriers on the flanks.

“At the moment we are struggling to get in behind the opposition and maybe having Siya and Pieter-Steph together we will achieve that better.

"We need to get more momentum up front than we currently are so that the backs can run onto the ball a bit better.”

Fleck has chosen two looseforwards on the bench in Notshe and Van Dyk‚ which he admitted was an attempt to match the Highlanders tempo late in the game. Du Toit will move into lock later in the match.

The Highlanders are without key looseforwards Elliot Dixon and Luke Whitelock for the encounter.

Dixon has a leg infection while Whitelock has not passed concussion protocols in time to be considered for the Stormers match.

Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (captain)‚ 14 Waisake Naholo‚ 13 Malakai Fekitoa‚ 12 Rob Thompson‚ 11 Patrick Osborne‚ 10 Marty Banks‚ 9 Aaron Smith‚ 8 Liam Squire‚ 7 Dillon Hunt‚ 6 Gareth Evans‚ 5 Tom Franklin‚ 4 Alex Ainley‚ 3 Siosuia Halanukonuka‚ 2 Liam Coltman‚ 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.

Replacements: 16 Greg Pleasants-Tate‚ 17 Aki Seiuli‚ 18 Siate Tokolahi‚ 19 Joe Wheeler‚ 20 Jackson Hemopo‚ 21 Kayne Hammington‚ 22 Fletcher Smith‚ 23 Matt Faddes.

Stormers: 15 Sarel Marais‚ 14 Cheslin Kolbe‚ 13 EW Viljoen‚ 12 Dan Kriel‚ 11 Dillyn Leyds‚ 10 Robert du Preez‚ 9 Jano Vermaak‚ 8 Nizaam Carr‚ 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ 6 Siya Kolisi (captain)‚ 5 Jan de Klerk‚ 4 Eben Etzebeth‚ 3 Frans Malherbe‚ 2 Bongi Mbonambi‚ 1 Oliver Kebble.

Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels‚ 17 JC Janse van Rensburg‚ 18 Wilco Louw‚ 19 Kobus van Dyk‚ 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe‚ 21 Dewaldt Duvenage‚ 22 Shaun Treeby (Stormers debut)‚ 23 Bjorn Basson.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport