Stormers coach Alan Solomons resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to his team for Friday's crucial Super 12 game against the Hurricanes at the Westpac Trust Stadium in Wellington.

Solomons made only two changes, of which one is positional, to the side who lost heavily to the Waratahs on Sunday. Stuart Abbott will start for the first time at inside centre for the Stormers, with Braam van Straaten reverting back to flyhalf in place of Chris Rossouw.

Rossouw doesn't get the luxury of a couple of games to adapt to the pace and intensity of Super 12 rugby and after just one game was deemed not even good enough for the substitutes' bench. Brother Pieter, however, has been included despite an injury cloud hovering over his head after injuring his foot at training on Tuesday.

The lanky wing has to prove his fitness on Thursday. According to Solomons Rossouw was only able to walk around on Wednesday, which doesn't bode well for the experienced player's chances of running out against Jonah Lomu and Co.

"No, Pieter is not ready yet. He could walk around today and was a bit better than yesterday, but I'm worried. Yesterday there was no chance that he could play and now suddenly he has a chance. We'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how he is before making a final decision," Solomons said from Wellington on Wednesday.

Rossouw's foot got stuck in the grass and he hurt the bridge of his left foot, but the medical team was happy that there was no fracture. Boland's try-poacher John Daniels would have been the logical replacement for Rossouw in many people's books, but Solomons has other ideas.

"There are a couple of options, both Werner Greeff and Robert Markram, who are on the substitutes' bench, can play wing. Werner has played his first game for Western Province at left wing. Both him and Robert are very versatile and both are more than competent wings."

The coach said the problem with Daniels is that he is a specialist wing. "It's difficult to use him on the bench because he can only play wing. He doesn't play fullback or centre and that limits our options."

When asked whether he would look at Daniels as replacement for Rossouw if the latter has to withdraw on Thursday, Solomons said he would consider all his options. "I'll weigh up the various options at my disposal and make the best decision for the team for the given game," he added.

Solomons have included Chean Roux in place of Adri Badenhorst in a change to the bench, while Markram takes the place of Abbott. He said it's part of his rotation policy to give players a chance on the bench and said the fact that Chris Rossouw didn't feature on the bench doesn't mean he is now consigned to the scrap yard.

"Look, Chris is a good player and he had 40 minutes against the Cats and started against the Waratahs. He is a very talented player, but he hasn't play particularly well thus far. You have to look at the bench as well and you need to give the players chances. I'm giving Robert and Chean a chance on the bench now and that's in line with my policy of rotation. I did it last year and will do the same this year."

Stormers team: Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, Robbie Fleck, Stuart Abbott, Pieter Rossouw, Braam van Straaten, Dan van Zyl, Bob Skinstad, Corne Krige (capt), Hendrik Gerber, Rob Brink, Hottie Louw, Faan Rautenbach, Charl Marais, Robbie Kempson. Replacements: Pieter Dixon, Morne van der Merwe, Quinton Davids, Chean Roux, Robert Markram, Werner Greeff, Neil de Kock.