Bok lock's baby dash
SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers are sweating over the availability of two key forwards on their Australasian tour
Utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit is unlikely to play in all four games of the tour because his wife is expecting their first child.
“When my wife phones to say the birth is imminent, I will catch the first available flight to South Africa,” said the Springbok lock-cum-flank.
Stormers, who left South Africa after three straight wins, tackle the Hurricanes this Saturday, then the Blues, Reds and Rebels.
* Meanwhile coach Robbie Fleck revealed on Thursday that fellow Bok Eben Etzebeth may yet withdraw from the opening tour encounter on Saturday.
The Bok lock suffered concussion in the win over the Jaguares at Newlands last Saturday.
Etzebeth was named in the Stormers’ starting line-up to face the Hurricanes – along with Chris van Zyl.
However, Fleck told the media in a teleconference call from Wellington that Etzebeth might not play.
“He still has to pass stage five [of the Head Injury Assessment protocol],” Fleck said.
“He did not get through most of the training today [Thursday], so we will give him most of tomorrow [Friday] to pass [the protocol].
“He has passed all the stages, until today [Thursday]. But he did not get past stage five.”
Should Etzebeth again fail the test on Friday, John Schickerling will come into the starting line-up and Salmaan Moerat will take his place on the bench.
“We’ll make the best medical decision,” Fleck said.
“Eben is keen to play obviously‚ but we will never put the player at risk.”
AFP & @rugby365com
