The DHL Stormers’ chances of hitting their target of ending top of the Vodacom URC log have been given a significant boost by Salmaan Moerat returning to training and it appears he is likely to tour with the team as they head across the equator for their final two league fixtures.
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson said a few weeks ago that Moerat would be recovered from the toe injury that has kept him out since January in time for the knockouts, but later adjusted that and said he could be back for the final tour game and league finale against Cardiff.
Listening to forwards coach Rito Hlungwani speak in a press conference on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s departure for the northern hemisphere it seems probable that the Springbok, who is heading to France to play for LaRochelle next season but is still the Stormers club captain, could be ready to tour. Although a return in the Cardiff game that ends the trip would seem more likely than Friday night’s opener against Ulster in Belfast.
“We have just had a split session in which Salmaan was involved and he got stuck into the live mauls and scrumming so we should be able to have him back soon. We will just assess how he goes in training through the rest of the week but he is coming back slowly,” said Hlungwani.
Moerat’s return to training and imminent return to the playing field will be particularly timely for the Stormers as JD Schickerling has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to injury. Against the Glasgow Warriors in the last home game there were only two frontline locks in the match day 23, although Ben-Jason Dixon, the blindside flank, is a more than useful lock when he plays there.
If Moerat joins Adre Smith and Ruben van Heerden, who is bound for another French club, Montpellier, next season, on the plane to Europe on Tuesday it will be a significant boost in the sense that it will add depth to an already impressive forward group that did the business on Glasgow when it came to the physical game.
The Stormers do have some promising young locks on their books and have been grooming Conor Evans but it is understood that Dobson is confident he will be able to fill part of the hole that will be left by the departure of Moerat and Van Heerden by contracting from overseas.
There have been reports that after being rejected twice by Tomas Lavinini, the experienced Argentina Pumas second row forward, negotiations have been reopened with Lavinini apparently now receptive to a move to Cape Town next season.
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On the negative side of the balance sheet Bok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach will be absent from the 23 that played against Glasgow. He limped off the field after turning in an excellent all-round performance and is out of the rest of the Stormers’ season although it is still hoped he will be fit to play for the Boks in the forthcoming international season.
Markus Muller, the teenager who made his debut against Glasgow, injured his finger and is also out, but the Stormers have welcomed back a few centres back to fitness, such as Jonathan Roche, in recent weeks and look well covered in that position. Dan du Plessis has worn the No 12 jersey in the last few games but of course Damian Willemse, who played fullback last time out after three games at right wing, can also play there, as well as Roche.
Imad Khan would appear the most likely replacement for Reinach at scrumhalf although Stefan Ungerer is equipped for the type of game the Stormers are likely to play in the northern hemisphere and he and Dewaldt Duvenage would both have more experience of the 4G pitch that the Stormers will be playing on in Ravenshill (Kingspan Stadium).