Stormers utility back Damian Willemse starts to limp off the field after injuring his groin in the URC against Glasgow Warriors late last year. Picture: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
The heavily injured Stormers are hoping for some major injury relief in the coming month as a number of players aim to return to training over the next few weeks.
The Cape side sent out an injury update on Wednesday, referencing the 15 frontline players that are currently unavailable, which includes a host of Springbok stars and a number of experienced veterans.
The depleted Stormers have struggled in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and in the Champions Cup (EPCR) this season, with them currently 10th on the URC log and completely out of the EPCR after finishing bottom of their group at the end of the pool stage.
They have lost their last three URC games, two of them being local derbies against the Bulls and Lions, and they now face a huge challenge against the Bulls again, this time at Loftus next weekend.
They may have two of their injured players back for that game, depending how they go with training, while they are hoping that a few more will be available for their overseas tour next month.
Loose forward Louw Nel (hamstring) and lock Connor Evans (knee) are the closest to getting back onto the field with the Stormers saying they would rejoin team training in the next week and should be available for selection from next week.
The Stormers are hopeful that another seven players will make their return in the next month, including lock JD Schickerling (shoulder), wing Seabelo Senatla (calf) and fullback JC Mars (ankle) are all be out of action for at least another four weeks,
Utility backs Damian Willemse (hip), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (sternum and thumb), Suleiman Hartzenberg (hand) and Jean-Luc du Plessis (wrist) are all expected to be back on the field in about four weeks, should there be no setbacks in the final stages of their rehabilitation.
However flyhalf Manie Libbok’s return from a knee injury is still to be determined depending on how he reacts to his treatment.
On the long term injury list are a further five players and it is unknown if any of them will play any part in the rest of the season.
Centre Ruhan Nel and scrumhalf Imad Khan both recently underwent shoulder surgery, while loose forward Keke Morabe is recovering from a leg fracture, and their return to play is undetermined.
Loosehead props Steven Kitshoff (neck) and Lizo Gqoboka (achilles) continue their long-term rehabilitation and are not expected to feature this season.
Speaking after their loss against the Lions over the past weekend, Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson admitted that they were looking into their injury woes, as this is the second straight season that they have struggled immensely with regular and long term injuries.
“We are looking into it. Some are soft tissue (injuries), some are high impact and just rotten luck. Damian was doing nothing, he was just dotting the ball down against Glasgow and his groin goes out for most of the season,” said Dobson.
“But we are looking into it. It is a massive blow not having these guys available for long periods. So we need to try find out why, because two years in a row is just too much.”
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