Bongi out for season, Herschel and Jaco also injured
|Published
CAPE TOWN – The injury storm is hitting Cape Town hard. Not so much in terms of quantity, but certainly quality.
Stormers head coach John Dobson yesterday confirmed that two of their biggest stars, Herschel Jantjies and Jaco Coetzee, are unlikely to feature in their first Super Rugby game away from Newlands this season.
Both Jantjies and Coetzee sat out training in a sweltering Riebeeck Kasteel yesterday morning with a sternoclavicular injury and concussion respectively.
“Herschel was lucky to play last week, he’s in doubt for this weekend. We’ll give him as much time as we can, but there’s a good chance he won’t play. But we’ll give him till Friday,” Dobson said. “Jaco is on a concussion RTP (return to play). He failed yesterday and you have to test it once a day for five days, so he’s unlikely.”
On the long-term injury list, the Stormers have been dealt a massive blow in that Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi, who was initially set to spend around up to six weeks on the sidelines, could now be ruled out for the remainder of the Super Rugby season.
It was initially thought that Mbonambi only suffered a tear to his hamstring, but Dobson confirmed that the muscle tore off the bone and that he underwent surgery.
This makes it absolutely crucial that Scarra Ntubeni, who has had more than his share of injuries, remains injury free this season.
In more positive news, promising lock JD Schickerling is back from injury and available for the Ellis Park meeting against the Lions.
Godlen Masimla, who came off the bench against the Bulls last week, will start if Jantjies is in fact not ready this weekend, with Paul de Wet his back-up.
Herschel Jantjies is also on the Stormers injury list for this week. Photo:Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
While the circumstances aren’t ideal, Dobson said he is excited to see how Masimla goes.
“We’re very excited about Godlen. He’s a different player. He didn’t come through and he struggled at the Kings, and then he spent eight months here as an amateur playing for Paarl. He trained with us in the Currie Cup but he only got a contract in January,” he said.
“He’s probably been through his cycle, he’s back in the desperate phase now. I don’t know if you’ve seen what he looks like now, he’s the second-fastest guy in our team behind Dillyn Leyds.
“We’re really excited about him, really, he’s going to be great.”
The match against the Lions kicks off at 3.05pm.