Malherbe prioritises Stormers over himself ahead of Bulls game

Springbok prop Frans Malherbe has chosen to prioritise the Stormers over himself ahead of the massive North-South United Rugby Championship (URC) derby against the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday, with him choosing to rule himself out of selection despite being passed fit to play.

It was expected that the Bok bruiser would make his return from a long term injury in the Bulls match, with assistant coach Rito Hlungwani saying earlier in the week that it would be him and Neethling Fouche as the tighthead props for the game.

ALSO READ: Loftus sold out for big Bulls v Stormers URC derby

However the team release earlier on Friday showed Fouche starting and Sazi Sandi the tighthead prop replacement on the bench, which led to captain Deon Fourie explaining during the pre-match press conference how Malherbe had been the ultimate team man in making the decision to sit out.

Match fitness

“With how long he’s been out, it’s four months now, he didn’t feel like his game fitness was up there. He was ready to play but he felt to have his first game back up here on the Highveld (in a massive derby against the Bulls) was a step too far,” said Fourie.

“He didn’t want to drop the team as he didn’t feel his (match) fitness is at that level yet. So he is just a quality team guy that he can come out and say that and put faith in the guys that have now been selected.”

Stormers coach John Dobson also backed his front row stalwart to the hilt, explaining that in a hypothetical situation where he was to come on early in the match due to an injury would have been too much for a player who last played a competitive game in the World Cup final in October last year.

“Frans trained really nicely the whole week. He is fit and it’s good to have him back. But he is a bit like John Carney, he’s a national treasure and we just want to manage him properly,” said Dobson.

“So it’s in his own interest. He could have played. But if you’re at Loftus in your first game back (from injury) and Neethling goes down in the fifth minute. I don’t think there are many props who after that length of time off would be ready for that experience.

“We (also) weren’t under pressure to put him in this game. Sazi Sandi is a guy we really wanted to give an opportunity to, so it’s a great occasion for him.”

Edinburgh return

Malherbe will now be targeting the Stormers next URC match at home in Cape Town against Edinburgh on the 23^rd of March, where he will hopefully get back onto the park.

“Frans I am sure will be available for Edinburgh. It is just a much more controllable environment. He will get another two weeks of live scrums (in training). His first live scrum (in training) was only last week Friday,” said Dobson.

“So as Deon says, since the World Cup final it is just too long to put him straight in (against the Bulls). He is also a guy who doesn’t want to drop the team and that would have been a big fear for him. We could have forced him and he would have played, but it wouldn’t have been right.”