Jean out of match against bulle

Ek Keo

The Stormers injury curse has struck again after captain Jean de Villiers was ruled out of his team's match with the Bulls at Loftus on Saturday.

He is one of a number of injury concerns for Allister Coetzee, with Steven Kitshoff, Louis Schreuder, Kobus van Wyk and Jurie van Vuuren also facing some time on the sidelines.

It is the Springbok captain though that will be the biggest blow for the men from Western Cape as they look to resurrect their season, now without the help of their inspirational skipper. Perhaps with their season all but run, de Villiers will be granted some much-needed rest ahead of the Springbok's mid-year tests.

Coetzee will more than likely call on Schalk Burger to lead the team in their battle against the old foe, after his barnstorming performance against the Highlanders last weekend.

Great loss but good he gets a rest.No doubt Allende will move to center.

First choice Steven Kitshoff, himself a youngster, though you wouldn’t think so because he’s been wearing the Stormers No 1 virtually since his school days, received a knock to the knee in the 29-28 win over the Highlanders that coach Allister Coetzee agrees is “a big concern”.

Kitshoff will be reassessed when the Stormers come together on Monday to start their build-up to the Loftus clash but it seems almost certain that he will miss the game. Kebble is a highly-regarded young player and should relish the opportunity to make his mark at the most testing of all venues for a visiting forward.

Talking of forwards, Eben Etzebeth, Manuel Carizza, Pat Cilliers and Tiaan Liebenberg are all set to make comebacks to the playing field in the next few weeks, but according to Coetzee, none of them will be available for the Bulls game. So apart from the forced change at loosehead prop, the pack should be the same one that dealt with the Highlanders. And the same for the back, where Kurt Coleman was excellent at flyhalf, his strike of the post with an easy penalty attempt notwithstanding.(Yep he did better than his predecessors)

Sailosi Tagicakibau was a late withdrawal but Kobus van Wyk was excellent as his replacement against the Highlanders. Although both Van Wyk and De Allende are really centres, and at times the Stormers defensive system is exposed because of their lack of experience on the wing, there have been several occasions, such as when Van Wyk won an aerial one-on-one with a Highlanders player, where the value of having big men in the back three has been underlined.(Allende has been exceptinal on the wing and must be exercising Meyers mind)

With Jaco Taute looking ensconced there (Improving all the time), it certainly looks like the Stormers have gone from one extreme to the other when it comes to having physical presence in the back three, and the return to fitness of Cheslin Kolbe gives them an appetising X-factor super-sub option for later in the game.

Unfortunately it will all be a bit to late.