Silver lining in Stormers’ injury cloud

The Stormers’ scrum was beaten to the punch against the Bulls last weekend but they may be better resourced and able to counterpunch this week when they take on the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

The Stormers buckled under the injury bogey but they are hoping to have tighthead prop Neethling Fouché and loosehead prop Ali Vermaak back for this weekend’s United Rugby Championship (URC) clash.

Assistant coach Dawie Snyman suggested the pair may return to the fray this weekend.

“The two guys who have trained with us so far are Ali and Neethling,” Snyman said.

“They are back, so we will probably know their situation by the end of the day [Tuesday] if they are available to play.”

The news was less rosy at flyhalf with Manie Libbok set to remain sidelined with the injury he suffered against Racing 92 in Paris in January. Jurie Matthee did not deliver the composure and incisiveness required at No 10 last weekend and the Cape side is left thin in that position with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse on the injured list.

The return of Vermaak and Fouche could provide the Stormers the stability they lacked at scrum time in Cape Town last weekend. The Stormers found firmer footing later in the game.

Desperate to put that performance behind them and deliver one fitting for his 150th appearance for the franchise is tighthead prop Frans Malherbe.

The much decorated Bok feels blessed as he keeps on trucking after a decade-and-a-half in the franchise jersey.

“I joined the senior team at the end of 2010. It’s difficult to sum up these 15 years, but I am privileged for all the chances I got to stay here, keep on playing and recover from injuries,” said the double Rugby World Cup-winning prop.

“Those are the things that perhaps throw other guys off that journey, so I am thankful for that. I am one of those fortunate guys who can play for his childhood team that he supported.”

The helter-skelter nature of last weekend’s clash with the Bulls gave players who don’t usually showcase their handling skills a chance to apply a deft hand. Malherbe was one of them. He even got to dot down for a second time in the URC. His distribution was also neat.

“I often joke with Ruben [van Heerden] in practices that he mustn’t practise his offloads. On Saturday I screamed for the ball and he threw it,” Malherbe said.

“Then I thought about it. My previous try was exactly the same type of movement from him against Munster.

“So I will leave him to throw his offloads if he wants to. I didn’t get a fright when the ball came my way, and I was calling for it.”