Western Province Vodacom Cup star Gerbrandt Grobler has flown to Australia to bolster the DHL Stormers’ forward resources, with back row stars Rynhardt Elstadt and Duane Vermeulen on their way home with knee injuries.
Both Elstadt and Vermeulen limped off in the final ten minutes of the Stormers’ 15-21 Vodacom Super Rugby defeat to the Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday and the pair face up to two months on the sidelines.
Grobler left for Australia on Sunday afternoon (SA time), with Elstadt and Vermeulen set to depart for South Africa on Monday morning (Sydney time).
“Both Rynhardt and Duane will be out for six to eight weeks – both suffered Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) injuries,” confirmed DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee, “it’s a massive blow for us at this stage of the season.”
In the absence of Elstadt and Vermeulen, Don Armand and Nizaam Carr could move into the starting line-up against the Rebels next Friday, with Grobler – fresh off a strong Vodacom Cup campaign for DHL WP – set to provide cover from the bench.
“As we saw in the final ten minutes against the Waratahs – losing Rynhardt and Duane had a big effect on the final result,” said Coetzee.
“We really will miss their influence – on defence and with ball in hand – but I have full confidence in Don and Nizaam to step up into starting roles should they be required to do so.”
Lock Grobler, 21, has made one appearance for the DHL Stormers this season, coming off the bench in his team’s 22-15 win over the Sharks a month ago.
He played in Saturday’s Vodacom Cup semifinal for DHL Western Province – a game which WP lost 25-44 to the Golden Lions in Johannesburg – but had no time to reflect on the defeat after being forced to pack his bags on Sunday morning for the trip to Sydney.
Said Coetzee: “Gerbrandt will provide much-needed cover from the bench for us against the Rebels.
“He is a good line-out forward and won’t be short of match practice after playing a key role for our Vodacom Cup side up until now. We look forward to his arrival and getting him up to speed for Friday.
“We’ve got to stay positive and keep working hard for the next game, despite it being a short week (with the game on Friday),” added the Stormers coach. “The players that are fit, along with Gerbrandt when he arrives, will have to do the job for us against the Rebels.”
Meanwhile, hooker Deon Fourie – who picked up a rib injury against the Waratahs – will stay on with the squad in the hope of being fit for the Rebels clash.
“We will continue to monitor Deon, on a day-to-day basis,” said Coetzee. “He was in less discomfort today (Sunday), so we will see how he looks on Monday.”
Fourie, of course, can also provide back row cover for the Stormers – having played in the No.6 jersey during Western Province’s Absa Currie Cup triumph last year.
The DHL Stormers squad will do video analysis and gym work on Monday, before resuming full training in Sydney on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The team will transfer to Melbourne on Thursday ahead of their final tour match, against the Rebels at AAMI Park on Friday (kick-off 11h40 SA time). The squad will return home on Saturday.
Now Coetzee should also start crying about it like Plumtree does, seems the in thing to do when the injuries mount up
No complaints, the games were lost by the players on the field. We can still field a competitive 22, just like the Sharks.
True I am referring to Plumtree that at every opportunity blames the injury situation on everything
Never has he mentioned the “famous” Sharks academy and where they have failed to have adequate depth
Just sounding like he is becoming a cry baby and surely pissing off loyal Sharks supporters
I think a change at the top might actually be a good thing for the Sharks and the Stormers
The Stormers were the stronger team almost the whole game through on the weekend, but there is just no end to their absolute one-dimentionality.
Their problem rests… and will continue to rest on the absense of a quality halfback pairing. There was no momentum or a semblance of game direction given by either the scrumhalf or the flyhalf.
Pity Duane Vermeulen is crocked, he will be sorely missed.
So, what are the Stormers chances for their last tour game?
Like Mallet said: “They look better without the ball that with it”…
If they play anyone else at 9 they have a good chance against the Rebels
5 @ Gena_ZA:
A Stormers supporter yesterday indicated to me that maybe the Stormers must push Dewaldt Duvenage out to No 10, and play Schreuder at No 9.
He is of the opinion that Duvenage has fared better in that one game where he temporarily had to go do duty at flyhalf… and that maybe he would be a better No 10 for now.
I’d say no, rather pick Joe Pietersen at No 10 and play Aplon at No 15, with Habana and Gertjie van den Heever as the wings.
Schreuder definitely at 9 and keep van Aswegen at 10
You cannot judge a player on one game , any case he only played there as a final final resort back when we had the disaster at 10
Tell him to add water to whatever he is drinking please
Agree with you on the other suggestions
Schreuder has Ruan Pienaar syndrome unfortunately. He takes ages to clear a ruck and will slow down the game even more than Duvenhage does.
I would not have dropped Groom. He had a bad game against the Cheetahs but was good otherwise this season.
8 @ Stormersboy:
You know what I’m afraid of, apart from the sky falling on our heads (a la Asterix and Obelix)…. I’m afraid that the bloody Stormers and freegin Sharks will pull out their best 3 games of the season against the Bulls, just to damage the Bulls chances!
They will do it against any team, their is no conspiracy against you lot
If you are better, you will win = this is rugby
I think Toetie Coetzee has reached his sell-by date… for a while already…
For 2 years the Stormers won the SA Conference, but that seemed to be their peak… the highest Toetie could go.
A NEW Vision is needed in the Stormers and WP, a new game plan and approach is needed. With the type of backline players WP and the Stormers have, more should have been possible, specially considering the forwards have stood up in recent time, not being the previouly laughable light five, with good loosies always omnipresent.
Also don’t think Fleckie adds any real value… maybe he’s too much a friend of the players, rather than being a respected or feared coach.
@ grootblousmile:
That is a very valid point, there are some very tough home derbies. Both the Stormers and Sharks will be holding onto some mathematical hope that they can get in, as will the Cheetahs, so it will still be intense, as it always is between us!
@ grootblousmile:
Yes, the same could be said for Plumtree.
Results are what count, both teams have had more talent and depth than for may seasons and have managed to make a mess of it.
There must be consequences.
10 @ Gena_ZA:
I’m not saying there is a conspiricy, I’m rather saying that the Bulls / Stormers derby awakens the historical passion in SA players… and because of all that passion it’s often easier to pull out all the stops. Same with the Sharks, they always bring their absolute A-game against the Bulls…has always been like that since that final in 1990 (before that they were OK, but building from being really a B-League side).
Canes-Chiefs
Crusaders-Blues
Waratahs-Brumbies
Cheetahs-Reds
Chiefs-Crusaders
Blues-Brumbies
Stormers-Reds
Sharks-Bulls
Crusaders-Tahs
Brumbies-Canes
Cheetahs-Bulls
Chiefs-Canes
Sharks-Blues
Stormers-Cheetahs
Crusaders-Chiefs
Cheetahs-Blues
Bulls-Sharks
Crusaders-Hurricanes
Blues-Chiefs
Waratahs-Reds
Stormers-Bulls
These are all games still to be played where both teams have a chance at qualifying. My point is that each of these games is a relative 10 point swing in position to each other so when you think about it there is still a lot of permutations out there.
15 @ Stormersboy:
Certainly some tough games left…. here’s hoping the other frontrunners, bar the Bulls, get pegged back a notch or 3….
@ grootblousmile:
Correct, the best thing for a team like the Stormers is to let the front runners go and hope that the teams in 5-8 have a tough time.
17 @ Stormersboy:
Stormers must set their 1st sights on getting past the No 2 SA side (Cheetahs at present) first and foremost, because I doubt that there will be 3 SA sides in the top 6.
It looks like 2 definate Aussie sides in the top 6, being the Brumbies and Reds.
But it’s not that clear amongst the Kiwi sides… the Chiefs should be right up there, but the Blues and Crusaders are both threatening to be in the top 6 too.
So, will SA only have one team in the top 6… or will the next few weeks play out to even it out for 2 SA sides… that will be interesting….
@ grootblousmile:
Absolutely, I think it is unlikely at this stage that we will have more than 1 side in the top 6. I posted weeks ago that there was a good chance that the only way to qualify for the playoffs would be to win the conference.
I hope I am wrong though, whichever team it may be to sneak in.
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