Stormers assess Springbok trio ahead of Scarlets clash

The Stormers will have three Springbok superstars with them in Wales on Friday night, but whether they play against the Scarlets is another matter.

Fresh from playing starring roles in the defeat of the Pumas at Twickenham, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse, and Cobus Reinach will travel from London to Llanelli to join the squad on Tuesday. However, defence coach Norman Laker told the media on Monday that a decision was still to be made about slotting the trio straight in.

Laker said that the Stormers had started the United Rugby Championship strongly and praised the players who got the team off to a two-match winning start, with impressive wins over Leinster and the Ospreys.

“The guys who have been in the seat have done extremely well,” Laker said. “Guys like Wandi (Simelane), Dan (du Plessis), Ruan (Nel), and Jurie (Mathee) have been strong.

“But it also gives us different options. Some guys may be hurt after the first two games, nursing some bumps and bruises, so there is a possibility that we’ll swap around or keep the same team we’ve had over the past two weekends.

"We’ll decide once we get to Wales. We will see how the guys respond after the long flight to Wales.”

In other words, head coach John Dobson is keeping his cards close to his chest ahead of the third-round fixture.

The Stormers hit the ground running with a startling display against Leinster, but had to play different rugby to arm wrestle the Ospreys into submission. In the last URC campaign, the Stormers began poorly and, although they came back in the second half of the tournament, they had left themselves with too much to do.

Dobson and Laker want to cash in on the good start in Cape Town with a win in their tour opener.

“The Scarlets are a good kicking side and a good ball-in-hand side,” Laker said. “They beat Leinster last season and made the top eight. They’re a very well-coached team and will be difficult to beat.”

It will still be bugging the Stormers’ coaching staff that they last week missed out on a bonus point for scoring four tries that were very much on the cards when the Stormers scored their third try against the Ospreys.

The Stormers nailed a full house the week before when they beat Leinster 35-0. That missed point might prove significant later in the competition when there is the inevitable bun fight for the top eight places.

Dobson and Laker will also be disappointed that impressive tighthead prop Neethling Fouche will not be boarding the plane for the UK after picking up a serious injury against the Ospreys.