Stormers captain Schalk Burger won’t be back on the playing field until round eight at the earliest.
Burger damaged medial knee ligaments in last Saturday’s match against the Hurricanes, and the initial diagnosis was that he would be sidelined for four to six weeks. Burger has since visited a specialist and it’s been decided that the Stormers will follow the conservative route.
The Stormers captain’s knee will remain in plaster for the next two weeks, and will thereafter be fitted with a brace. Over a six-week period, he will undergo rehabilitation for the injury but will be unable to train fully.
Coach Allister Coetzee said that Burger would in all likelihood be back for the match on 14 April against the Crusaders. He admitted that it would take a tremendous effort for Burger to recover by this date, and said if it were any other player the Stormers wouldn’t expect them back until after the Australasian tour.
However, Coetzee said Burger is a special case physically, and his importance to the team as a player and leader means he could tour with the team even if he’s unavailable for their first match.
‘I know that I won’t have to worry about his fitness, he’s the kind of guy who doesn’t need to be eased back into action,(Burger has amazing stamina)’ Coetzee said. ‘Hopefully he will be available for the middle of that overseas tour, and at the moment the target is that match against the Crusaders.’
In the interim, Siya Kolisi will wear the No 6 jersey for the Stormers. The young flanker impressed with his ball-carrying and work-rate last Saturday, and will be expected to deliver consistently from hereon in.
Coetzee confirmed that Kolisi, Duane Vermeulen and Nick Koster will now comprise the Stormers starting loose trio until Burger is available.
‘We’re looking to fill that position and we (Get Elstadt in the mix Alistair - listen to Beeno its the wise thing to do!) want to do it in a way that will cause the least disruption to the team dynamic,’ said Coetzee, when asked if Kolisi’s introduction to the starting XV would perhaps force a reshuffling of the back row.
‘I’ve given some of these young players a responsibility, I’ve thrown them into the deep end and asked them to swim. They are not there yet, but they have done well.’
Aside from Kolisi, Coetzee backed young forwards Eben Etzebeth and Steven Kitshoff in last week’s fixture. Because of injuries to more senior players, this trio looks likely to front the Sharks.
Lock Rynhardt Elstadt did not train with the side on Monday and won’t be risked unless he is fully fit. Prop Deon Carstens is still recovering from a chest injury and won’t be available until next week.
Meanwhile, flyhalf Peter Grant will report for duty at the High Performance Centre on Tuesday. Coetzee said that he wants to talk to Grant first, but it seems unlikely that the seasoned flyhalf will be pushed into the starting line-up after just returning from Japan.
There will however, be at least two changes to the backline. Juan de Jongh has been cleared of a jaw injury and Coetzee said he will rejoin Jean de Villiers in the midfield. This means that last week’s No 13, Bryan Habana, will return to the wing and force Gerhard van den Heever out of the starting team
I Just hope Alistair appreciates that against tough packs he shoul dplay Elstadt at 7. However our loose trio wiill not lack for pace and if the tight five can get some domiance it could become very interesting. The return of de Jongh and Habana to wing is fine. Van Der Heever needs to up his work rate in any case.
Sharkies are going DOWN DOWN DOWN!!!!
