Good news on Du Plessis front, but bad luck for Stormers too

AS THE Stormers have probably come to know in a rather cruel way... when it rains injuries, it pours injuries.

The Cape side have been dealt a couple of fresh injury blows ahead of their final match on tour against the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday, but there’s also some good news that has come with what’s become the dreaded injury update.

And while the bad news is really bad, the good news is really good.

Firstly, producing a good performance on Friday following a shocking defeat to the Waratahs in Sydney and a big loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch at the weekend is important – in terms of confidence, and points. And as if that’s not going to be tough enough on its own, that task is going to be even bigger now that the Stormers could be without a number of star performers.

The good news is that the Du Plessis cousins are set to return after long lay-offs – with Dan (pictured) available against the Blues at Newlands next week, while JeanLuc has also been in full training and could be available in the next few weeks.

Dan was ruled out with a shoulder injury in April last year. He avoided having to undergo surgery, but following his return, his playing time was cut short again when he dislocated his shoulder playing for Western Province in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge in June.

Jean-Luc was ruled out after just one Super Rugby game last year with a groin complaint and was initially expected to be out for four to six weeks. But the initial prognosis later grew into fears that the flyhalf may never play again. However, after undergoing an operation in the United States in December, he is expected to make his return soon. And this will certainly be a boost for the Stormers – who went from being rich in flyhalf stocks early last year to crisis mode at No 10 in only one season.

In 2017, Robbie Fleck had Jean-Luc du Plessis – at that time the first-choice flyhalf – Robert du Preez, Kurt Coleman and Brandon Thomson to choose from, with fresh-out-of-school Damien Willemse also cooking in the Stormers’ healthy flyhalf pot.

But since then Du Plessis has been out injured, Du Preez has joined the Sharks, Thomson is with Glasgow Warriors and Coleman with the Southern Kings.

During the pre-season, the Stormers recruited Joshua Stander from the Bulls and George Whitehead (on loan) from Griquas in an attempt to nurse their lack of depth at No 10, and when Willemse suffered a haematoma to his quad against the Waratahs, Fleck opted to play Leyds at 10 in the exciting flyhalf ’s absence.

So, it seems like the return of the Du Plessis cousins, Jean-Luc in particular, couldn’t have come at a better time. But the bad news is really bad. The Stormers will be without JD Schickerling and hooker Bongi Mbonambi for the greater part of the Super Rugby season.

Schickerling, who has produced massive performances for the Stormers in recent weeks and for WP during their Currie Cup-winning campaign last year, will undergo surgery on a torn pectoral muscle, and will be out of action for four months.

With Eben Etzebeth (shoulder) also on the road to recovery and Pieter-Steph du Toit having to pass his final tests to confirm whether he can play against the Highlanders on Friday after taking a knock to the head against the Crusaders, Schickerling’s injury is a massive blow. Salmaan Moerat has joined the Stormers in New Zealand following Schickerling’s injury, and Chris van Zyl and Jan de Klerk are the other two second-row options in the touring squad.

In the front row, Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi will be off the field for three months after he had two operations as a result of appendicitis.

In his absence, Ramone Samuels has started for the Stormers with Dean Muir on the bench. And although Samuels’ work in open play has been impressive, the lineouts have been a problem, with a number of overthrown and misdirected lineout balls (from both him and Muir) having caused havoc on tour. To be fair, the lineouts could have been run better.

In the back row, flank Cobus Wiese, a standout against the Crusaders, is in doubt due to a shoulder injury, while Kobus van Dyk is struggling with an ankle niggle. In the backline, Seabelo Senatla (groin) has, like Wiese and Van Dyk, been given until today to prove his fitness for Dunedin. CAPE TOWN CITY assistant-coach Vasili Manousakis is getting rather accustomed to stepping into the shoes of Benni McCarthy, which is why he’s quite relaxed and quietly confident ahead of tonight’s first round, first leg CAF Confederations Cup tie against Costa do Sol in Maputo (7pm).

Earlier this season, head coach McCarthy was red-carded and Manousakis called the shots from the bench while the former Bafana Bafana striker spent some time watching from the stands. Now, with McCarthy in Manchester for the next instalment of his UEFA Pro Licence programme, Manousakis is ready to step into the breach again.

While the assistant-coach will have been instructed on the basic game plan by his boss, this will be a good test as to his own reading of the game and tactical response to situations. When McCarthy was suspended, he was still there to relay instructions to the bench from the stands. This time, the head coach is not around and Manousakis will have to carry the can for the decisions he makes; there is no better challenge for a budding coach.

City have used the CAF event as an opportunity to rotate the squad, to give the rest of the squad some game time. Having defeated Swaziland’s Young Buffaloes in the previous round, the Mozambicans are expected to present a far sterner challenge. Nevertheless, as Manousakis insists, he will again look to the younger members of the squad to do the business. It’s a chance for teenagers like Shane Roberts and Zukile Kuweti to continue to grow their experience.

The Cape side left a few players at home, including Teko Modise, Roland Putsche and Thami Mkhize. The trio played an influential role in the Cape side’s 2-0 win over Chippa United last Friday and have been told to put their feet up and prepare for next week’s Nedbank Cup clash against Orlando Pirates. Also not in Mozambique are Masoud Juma, Alan Kateregga, Mpho Matsi and Matthew Rusike, who are all still on the injured list.

“The boys are looking forward to the game,” said Manousakis. “We had a really fun session on the beach on Tuesday evening. We know we’re up against tough opponents who want to impress at home, so it’s important that we are organised in defence.

“The target is to keep a clean sheet and try to get an away goal or two. We had two tough league fixtures last week and, as a result, we have a few niggles and had to leave a few key players behind. That said, it’s time for the youngsters to stand up and be counted, alongside experienced players like (Vincent) Kobola, (Sibusiso) Masina, (Ayanda) Patosi and (Robyn) Johannes.”

Manousakis is keen on getting the balance right for the clash against Costa do Sol. The energy and enthusiasm of youth has to be complemented with the experience and cool heads of the team’s experienced campaigners.

City have always tagged the CAF competition as an opportunity to blood the club’s next generation. In the two legs of the previous round, the duo showed they are serious performers, with McCarthy suitably impressed. Now, Manousakis wants the young duo to continue to play with the promise they have shown at this early stage of their professional careers.