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Stormers sweating over Bok lock

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee celebrated a win over quality opposition, but he will be sweating over injuries to key players.

The Stormers scored a 39-31 win (five tries to four) over the Cheetahs at Newlands on Friday in their second Super Rugby pre-season outing.

Stormers sweating over Bok lockStormers sweating over Bok lockHowever, the one negative saw three key players leave the field with injuries.

Locks Eben Etzebeth (blow to his chest) and Manuel Carizza (shoulder), as well as wing Kobus van Wyk (calf muscle) all left the field in the first half.

"The biggest concern for us is the injuries. Three guys who will have to go for further treatment and to be checked out.

 

"With Kobus [Van Wyk] it is his calf, he is looking alright but we will have to do a bit of a scan.

 

"Eben [Etzebeth] took a shot to the chest and Manuel Carizza is a shoulder. EW Viljoen took a knock to the head but he is fine, it was just a concussion test.

 

"They all seem to be alright, but you never know what is going to come out of the scans.

Coetzee said more will be known about their fitness once they have undergone medical examinations.

"They all need to undergo scans," Coetzee said.

"We won't be guessing until we see our medical reports and we certainly won't be panicking right now."

The biggest concern will be the injury to the two locks, given the limited resources available,  but Coetzee is happy with the depth he has.

"I see the seriousness of the injuries, but Ruan Botha is not far from joining us for team training in this week coming.

 

"We have been through a crisis there at lock and Michael Rhodes did well there so we are not going to panic," he said.

Coetzee may well be forced to call upon his utility loose forwards to fill in the gap in the second row if either or both his locks are ruled out for any period.

The hosts, in action at home for the first time in 2015, led by 29-10 at half-time – having scored four excellent tries in the first half.

"It was a big step up from last weekend," the coach said.

"We were very clinical in the first half and stepped up across the board," said Coetzee afterwards.

"We scrummed well, our breakdown work was good and we exited well… I thought our physicality was good too."

The Stormers will face up to the Boland Cavaliers in their final warm-up match at the Cape Town Stadium next Saturday (February 7).

 

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