RUGBY NEWS - They’re down to what might be their third or fourth choice lock pairing and most of their leaders have gone home but that hasn’t prevented DHL Stormers assistant coach Paul Feeney from seeing the bright side of his team’s final tour game against the Rebels.
The Stormers will be in Melbourne on Friday with a new captain after Siya Kolisi flew home as per the Springbok resting protocol.
The alternate team leader, Chris van Zyl, has also gone back to Cape Town, in his case because of a back injury that will sideline him for six weeks, and he will join two influential team leaders in Pieter-Steph du Toit and Eben Etzebeth in watching the game on television.
Also already back home, and there for a few weeks already, is JD Schickerling, meaning that the Stormers effectively have four second row forwards out. It says something about their depth in the position that they still have Cobus Wiese, Salmaan Moerat and former national age-group leader Ernst van Rhyn to fall back on, but it would be naive to think you can lose so many players without it making an impact.
Add to that SP Marais, who flew home with Van Zyl and Kolsi at the weekend, and Dan du Plessis, who returned to the Cape the previous week, and in all there are seven players who started the tour who have had to withdraw prematurely.
"Seven guys have gone home, and we can’t hide from the fact that that is a lot," said assistant coach Paul Feeney from Australia on Monday.
"Among the guys who have gone home are men with a lot of experience. And Siya, Eben and Pieter-Steph, plus Pickle (Van Zyl), are all influential forwards, as is JD (Schickerling). So it is true that our pack has been particularly hard hit, and we have to play to our strengths.
"But the flip side of having these top guys out is that it gives other talented players opportunities. We have lost some experienced guys up front, but I tell you what, the experienced guys who remain need to step up and help the newcomers, who will be very excited about their opportunity.
"The guys who are stepping up are all players with ability. (Flank) Kobus van Dyk is an excellent player. They are all excited about getting their chance. It is disappointing to lose the players of the calibre that we have, but I would describe the attitude to the Rebels game as one of excitement."
Feeney would not let on who the new captain would be in Kolisi’ absence, and would say only that the decision would be announced to the team at training on Tuesday. However, he did point out that there were still plenty of options, and experience, available to head coach Robbie Fleck.
"Frans Malherbe is a Springbok, so is Bongi Mbonambi, and Steven Kitshoff, so we are not lacking for experience in the front row," he said.
"I’m not sure who the locks will be, but it will be between Cobus Wiese, Salmaan and Ernst."
