In a bittersweet turn of events, the Stormers have not only steamrolled the Scarlets with a whopping 34-0 victory in Llanelli but have also been struck with a severe injury setback. The wound stings particularly deep as Deon Fourie, a recently returned Springbok, is set for a long stint away from the pitch due to a serious arm injury.
Coach John Dobson's post-match reflections summed up the mood.
"Deon’s devastating,"
he said, revealing the emotional toll the injury had taken on the team.
"A lot of tears in the change room, Deon was in tears. It’s a serious bicep injury that will require surgery, so he’ll go home. It’s an emotional change room – as much as the win is pleasing, it shows how tight this team is that they’re so upset about Deon."
This sentiment underscores the camaraderie and spirit within the squad, which, despite a robust start to the season, is now marred by this unfortunate incident.
The injury woes didn't end with Fourie. Sazi Sandi, another key player from the front row, is also sidelined for now. Dobson confirmed, "Sazi will get scanned and we’ll see where he stands, but for now he’s out." With a trio of top tightheads, including Frans Malherbe and Neethling Fouche, already unavailable, the team is definitely feeling the pinch. However, Dobson remains optimistic about the team's scrum capabilities. "Luckily we’ve got a great scrum culture and guys like [Zach] Porthen is coming through, we’ve got Hencus van Wyk, Corne Welbach, Oli Kebble can swing so we should be able to keep our scrum culture going," he added.
As they gear up to face Italian squads Zebre and Benetton next, the Stormers' resilience will surely be tested. Despite these setbacks, the team's unbeaten run in the first three rounds, including two shutouts, hints at a depth and tenacity that might just carry them through the storm stirred up by these injuries.
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In a bittersweet turn of events, the Stormers have not only steamrolled the Scarlets with a whopping 34-0 victory in Llanelli but have also been struck with a severe injury setback. The wound stings particularly deep as Deon Fourie, a recently returned Springbok, is set for a long stint away from the pitch due to a serious arm injury.
Coach John Dobson's post-match reflections summed up the mood.
"Deon’s devastating,"
he said, revealing the emotional toll the injury had taken on the team."A lot of tears in the change room, Deon was in tears. It’s a serious bicep injury that will require surgery, so he’ll go home. It’s an emotional change room – as much as the win is pleasing, it shows how tight this team is that they’re so upset about Deon."
This sentiment underscores the camaraderie and spirit within the squad, which, despite a robust start to the season, is now marred by this unfortunate incident.The injury woes didn't end with Fourie. Sazi Sandi, another key player from the front row, is also sidelined for now. Dobson confirmed, "Sazi will get scanned and we’ll see where he stands, but for now he’s out." With a trio of top tightheads, including Frans Malherbe and Neethling Fouche, already unavailable, the team is definitely feeling the pinch. However, Dobson remains optimistic about the team's scrum capabilities. "Luckily we’ve got a great scrum culture and guys like [Zach] Porthen is coming through, we’ve got Hencus van Wyk, Corne Welbach, Oli Kebble can swing so we should be able to keep our scrum culture going," he added.
As they gear up to face Italian squads Zebre and Benetton next, the Stormers' resilience will surely be tested. Despite these setbacks, the team's unbeaten run in the first three rounds, including two shutouts, hints at a depth and tenacity that might just carry them through the storm stirred up by these injuries.