Ex Supersport
DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee had further reason to feel positive on Monday as star forwards Andries Bekker and Duane Vermeulen were engaged in onfield contact for the first time in over half a year.
Bekker and Vermeulen took part in a controlled contact session after completing their rehabilitation from serious injuries that ruled both players out of consideration for the Springbok squad that participated in the 2011 World Cup.
For Vermeulen it is the first time he has taken part in a contact session -- described by Coetzee as “body check contact” -- since suffering medial knee ligament damage in the last Super Rugby league match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in June last year. Bekker has been out since the Super Rugby semifinal against the Stormers a week later.
Their appearance on the field in Monday’s session is confirmation that both players are on track for their anticipated return to the playing arena, possibly as early as the final warm-up game against the Kings in Port Elizabeth on 11 February.
“Everything is going according to plan with Andries and Duane and both of them have progressed well, and we are expecting both of them to be fully back and ready to play next week,” said Coetzee.
The coach said that both of the players had been subjected to contact in an isolated environment on an individual basis before being cleared to take part in the Monday session.
Neither Vermeulen nor Bekker are likely to be considered for Saturday’s DHL Pre-season Series clash with the Cheetahs at Newlands, but with an eye on the Super Rugby opener against the Hurricanes on 25 February, Coetzee can feel his plans are falling into place.
Another stalwart expected to be back in the thick of things shortly is first choice scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage.
“Dewies should be back taking contact again next week,” said Coetzee.
Coetzee said he hoped to give players a minimum of 120 minutes of playing time before the Hurricanes game and is expected to make a few changes to the selection that beat the Lions 28-6 for the Cheetahs game.
A player who has not seen action yet is flyhalf Dimitri Catrakilis. With Burton Francis and Gary van Aswegen both having had game time in the opening matches against Boland and the Lions, Catrakilis can expect to start at pivot on Saturday.
Great news as these three are very important to the Stormers. I see also that Kaplan is helping out at the Stormers with the scrumming laws. Seems the lions getting the better of the scrums had a lot to do with the interpretation of the laws.
Meanwhile the bulle having lost Mayer and may lose some more of their managmetn as meyer selects his staff. we shall see. Tough days ahead for the bulle - and of course the sardines - without Beast and van Staden - plus pining their hopes on Marius Joubert!! - hahahahhahaha the guppies love veteran backs. Probably send an sos to get Terblanche back!
