Super Rugby: Stormers Pre-season Training Squad announced and Allister gives an injury update

Bellville – Stormers Coach Alistair Coetzee has named a 36 man training squad for for next week’s pre-season camp in Hermanus.

Of the existing Stormers players JP du Plessis, Scarra Ntubeni and Gary van Aswegen were not considered because of injury. Peter Grant is still in Japan and is not yet available for consideration. There are some new experienced faces in the training squad including Michale Rhodes, Patric Cilliers and Elton Jantjies from the Lions and Ruan Botha from the Bulls. The extended training squad will be trimmed closer to the tournament.

The full training squad is:

Gio Aplon; Ederies Arendse; Don Armand; Andries Bekker; Ruan Botha; Schalk Burger; Nizaam Carr; Deon Carstens; Patric Cilliers; Kurt Coleman; Damian de Allende; Jean de Villiers; Juan de Jongh; Dewaldt Duvenage; Rynhardt Elstadt; Eben Etzebeth; Deon Fourie; Nic Groom; Bryan Habana; Brok Harris; Pat Howard; Elton Jantjies; Steven Kitshoff; Berton Klaasen; Siya Kolisi; Tiaan Liebenberg; Frans Malherbe; Sikumbuzo (Skuna) Notshe; Joe Pietersen; Michael Rhodes; Louis Schreuder; De Kock Steenkamp; Tim Swiel; Jaco Taute; Gerhard van den Heever; Duane Vermeulen.

***************************************************

Allister Coetzee has also released an injury report ahead of his team’s pre-season camp in Hermanus next week.

Coetzee had news on long-term injury casualties like Schalk Burger and Siya Kolisi and also those players that finished 2012 on the sidelines, like winger Bryan Habana.

All but four players mentioned by the coach in this injury report will attend the week-long camp in Hermanus.

DHL Stormers injury report – After the first week of pre-season training in 2013:

Players back from injury:

Rynhardt Elstadt (flank – chest)
Siya Kolisi (flank – thumb)
Nizaam Carr (No.8 – knee)
Bryan Habana (wing – knee)

Set to return to full training next week:

Andries Bekker (lock – toe)
Schalk Burger (flank – knee)
Dewaldt Duvenage (scrumhalf – broken leg)
Nic Groom (scrumhalf – knee)

Other injury news:

- Prop Deon Carstens (neck) – should be ready for action in Round One of the Super Rugby competition.
- Hooker Tiaan Liebenberg (back) – he will attend the camp in Hermanus and do fitness and line-out throwing but he cannot take contact.
- Hooker Scarra Ntubeni (shoulder) – somebody fell on him and he landed awkwardly at training this week. He will be re-assessed after four weeks but will hopefully not require surgery.
- Flyhalf Gary van Aswegen (ankle) – will be conservative with his return which should be around mid-February.
- Centre JP du Plessis (back) – his injury flared up and he will take it easy over the next four weeks but could be out for a while longer. He will be re-assessed after four weeks.
- Centre Marcel Brache (neck) – still out for some time after undergoing a neck operation late last year.