DHL Stormers captain Salmaan Moerat’s pectoral injury is serious enough to sideline him for what assistant coach Rita Hlungwani expects to be a few weeks so he is set to miss the Cape franchise’s four match tour of Europe that starts next week.
Moerat, who was playing his first game back after suffering a serious ligament injury against London Irish in the Champions Cup last December, left the field in the first half of the Stormers’ 35-33 win over the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg that got them off to a positive start in their challenge for the Vodacom United Rugby Championship trophy.
He was still due to undergo scans on the injury when Stormers coach John Dobson spoke to the media after the Emirates Airlines Park game and forwards coach Hlungwani said the head coach would fill in the media later in the week. However, Hlungwani confirmed on Monday that the news on Moerat subsequent to his scan wasn’t good.
“Unfortunately it looks like a pretty serious injury so we won’t be seeing him for a couple of weeks. I’m sure Dobbo will confirm later in the week, but it’s not a good injury,” Hlungwani said.
So Moerat will miss Saturday’s clash with Scarlets in Stellenbosch and if his absence is to extend over a period of weeks it will be highly unlikely he will play any part in the tour of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy that the Stormers leave for after this weekend’s game.
Moerat’s injury is a blow for the Stormers and second row was an area where the Stormers struggled because of injuries last season. However, although Springbok lock Marvin Orie has left the franchise, the Stormers do appear much better off for options in that position - barring any further injuries of course.
When Moerat was injured last year Ben Jason-Dixon, who flits between lock and blindside flank, did a good job as his replacement, starting with the good win against the Vodacom Bulls in Cape Town two days before Christmas. Subsequent to that though Dobson recruited former Sharks and Exeter Chiefs lock Ruben van Heerden on a short-term contract that has now become long term.
Adre Smith, excellent in the first season of the URC, is also back playing again after missing most of last season through injury, while Hendre Stessen is a new recruit to the Stormers who much is being expected of once he’s got into the playing groove again following four years out of the game.
Conor Evans, who still qualifies for age-group rugby, also made big strides when given opportunities at Stormers level last season and his growth as a quality lock is expected to accelerate this season.
So Dobson does have options in the second row, and that is before we even mention Gary Porter, who was on the bench in Johannesburg. Looseforward Hacjivah Dayimani came on for Moerat when he was injured, with Dixon switching to the second row initially, but Porter is a player with much ability and might have featured more last year were it not for inopportunely timed injuries that ruled him. The more than two metre tall Stessen can also play blindside flank so there is a lot of versatility in Dobson’s group.
The choice of back-up captain during Moerat’s absence could be interesting and could depend on how quickly the Boks playing at the World Cup are available to play again. Deon Fourie is a natural leader. But in his absence prop Neethling Fouche did a good job when he led Western Province on occasion in the Currie Cup last year and could just be the man to take the leadership reins in Stellenbosch on Saturday afternoon (16.00 kick-off at Danie Craven Stadium).