Injured players returning at the right time for Stormers

A glance at the players on the field during a DHL Stormers training session in Cape Town on Thursday would have brought a smile of contentment to any of the team’s supporters who just happened to be present.

No, there was no Manie Libbok, but the highly talented Kade Wolhuter was an energetic presence, and it looks likely he will play a role in the match-day squad in the Heineken Champions Cup clash with Clermont at the DHL Stadium on Saturday. If not, coach John Dobson can turn to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu - he does have the depth to cover for Libbok’s absence.

But there was much more than that to enthuse about. Apart from the return of Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, big No 8 Evan Roos, so excellent when the national team beat England at Twickenham last November, was in the thick of things and looked ready to play. Also back on the training field after a much longer absence was energetic and influential hooker Scarra Ntubeni, who is another capped Bok.

“We are actually in the happy position of having a selection dilemma,” said Stormers coach John Dobson after the session.

“Look, if anyone says they have the right formula (when it comes to dealing with the travel and playing in two competitions, they’d be wrong. We are all just learning at the moment, it is a first time for everyone (all the SA teams). We have just one training day after our return from overseas to re-assimilate players who are back from injury, but it has gone well.

“We have Evan back, we have Herschel back, we have Kade back too. There is so much competition for places this week and it is a great advert for the depth we have built up during this season. We have Manie out but we have Kade available, we have Jean-Luc du Plessis, we have Sacha, and don’t forget we have Damian (Willemse), who has played flyhalf for the Springboks.”

The Stormers need that depth because they face another tough couple of weeks before the rank-and-file players join the Springboks in also taking a well-earned break. The Stormers leave for Belfast on Sunday for next week’s crucial Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against Ulster, and then return to South Africa for an important derby against the Cell C Sharks in Durban.

Saturday’s clash with Clermont-Auvergne is likely to be the last for Boks like Steven Kitshoff and Damian Willemse as their resting protocol sets in after this, while Marvin Orie might be on the plane to Ulster but will rest after that. So it is important for the Stormers to have players to replace them.

According to Dobson, Gary Porter, who is the ideal replacement for Orie as a No 5 lock, should be ready for the derby clashes, while none of his first-choice loose trio are part of the Bok resting protocol at this point.

“We will have Evan playing for us again, he hasn’t played a lot of rugby recently. There are other players, such as Ruhan Nel, who also haven’t played a lot. We might have taken a different attitude to the Ulster game had we beaten Glasgow in our most recent URC game, but we have lost some of the breathing space now that we had in the top two of the log and the jostling for home advantage in the play-offs.

“We have already picked the team for Ulster and it will be very different to the side that takes the field against Clermont, but what we are learning is that the overseas teams don’t see a first choice and second choice distinction when it comes to the teams that play. They go out to win regardless of who plays. The side that we take to Belfast will still be a strong one and we will definitely be going there to get something from the game.”

The Ulster game could presumably see a return to the playing field and Stormers colours for Ntubeni.

“Scarra is fit and he is back in the mix. Maybe not for this week, but for the following week,” said Dobson.

The Stormers team for the Clermont game will be announced on Friday.