VIDEO: Stormers sweat over injuries after red-card shocker
REACTION: The Stormers are sweating over the injuries of three key players, following their 30-33 loss to the Sharks in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Sharks, sparked by a hat-trick from lock Reniel Hugo, opened their Rainbow Cup SA campaign with an impressive win at the Stormers’ new home – the Cape Town Stadium.
The Stormers were reduced to 14 men for half of the match – after two red cards, to wing Seabelo Senatla (for playing man if the air) and No.8 Willie Engelbrecht (two yellow cards for foul play, both high tackles).
However, of more concern to coach John Dobson than the obvious issues with discipline and the loss would be the injuries to flyhalf Kade Wolhuter, scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies and lock John Schickerling.
Wolhuter left the field with a serious-looking knee injury midway through the second half.
The young flyhalf has gone to the hospital for a scan, following the match.
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“It looks like a pretty consequential knee injury,” the Stormers coach, Dobson, said – with the result likely to be known on Sunday or Monday.
There is less concern over the scrumhalf, Jantjies, who left the field late in the match with a double leg contusion.
“We are very sensitive over that kind of injury, after what happened to Pieter-Steph [du Toit],” he said of a similar injury that almost ended the World Rugby Player of the Year’s career in 2020.
Dobson said Jantjies “should be okay”, but they will have a better idea on Monday.
The lock, Schickerling, “tweaked” his ankle, which will be of concern to the Cape Town franchise – given that a neck injury is threatening to keep another second row, Salmaan Moerat, on the sideline for several weeks.
Dobson was not sure how serious Schickerling’s injury is, leaving doubt over his availability for next week’s home game against the Bulls.
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Picture credit: @THESTORMERS
