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Bok boost for Stormers ahead of Lions derby

rugby17 December 2024 15:30| © SuperSport
By:Gavin Rich
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Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu © Gallo Images

After going with a really under-strength team to London for their Investec Champions Cup game at the weekend, the DHL Stormers will start to head in the opposite direction in Saturday’s big Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby against the Emirates Lions.

Regular captain Salmaan Moerat made his return in the 53-16 defeat to Harlequins in London and turned in a busy performance and looks set to be joined by a possible quartet of fellow returning Springboks in the form of the talismanic Deon Fourie, first choice Bok tighthead prop Frans Malherbe, blindside flank Ben-Jason Dixon and flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

According to Stormers assistant coach Dawie Snyman, the calls on which or all of those players would be ready to be in the match day squad was to be made after training on Tuesday.

“Manie (Libbok) is going to need to continue to rest (after the concussion sustained against Toulon) but Frans and Deon are back and so are Sacha and Ben-Jason,” said Snyman.

Dixon was concussed in the Champions Cup game against Toulon in Gqeberha and was thus ruled out of consideration for the trip to the Stoop for the Harlequins game, although he almost certainly would have been among the bulk of the first choice team that was rested in preparation for Saturday’s crucial derby.

With Moerat back already and the other four joining them though the Stormers are starting to look a lot more like themselves, at least on the team list, although Evan Roos, Damian Willemse and Steven Kitshoff are set to remain out for a while loosehead prop Sti Sithole is also still out of the selection mix.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s probable return at flyhalf and that of Fourie at openside flank will be particularly welcomed by the Stormers, while Moerat’s positive return to the playing field means that John Dobson can include four quality locks in his match-day 23 for the Lions game in the form of Moerat, JD Schickerling, Ruben van Heerden and Adre Smith.

That could be the makings of a proper bomb squad for the Stormers, particularly once Sithole is back in the selection mix (while Kitshoff is confident he will be able to resume his playing career after neck surgery it won’t be soon).

Malherbe will most likely back up Neethling Fouche at this point, and Fouche has been in excellent form, while veteran loosehead Ali Vermaak has been formidable in the scrums since he returned to the playing field in the game against the Hollywoodbets Sharks at the end of November.

Vernon Matongo made a positive debut against Harlequins.

The potency of the pack hasn’t been a concern for the Stormers, certainly not in the set-pieces, where they boast some of the best stats in the URC.

What has been a concern is the trouble some teams have given them at the breakdowns, and that is where Fourie’s return after an absence from the playing field of nine months will be particularly positive for the Cape franchise.

The Stormers team for the Lions match will be announced on Friday.

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