Vermeulen: Stormers waiting

The Stormers are still awaiting news on the extent of captain and Springbok No.8 Duane Vermeulen's neck injury.

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee confirmed that Vermeulen was seeing the neurosurgeon on Monday and they are expecting an update later in the day.

"The doctor [Jason Suter] will issue a statement after he has discussed [Vermeulen's condition] with the neurosurgeon," Coetzee told a media briefing at the team's training base.

He also denied that the neck spasms that ruled him out of the 19-all draw with the Lions at the weekend was related to a previous neck/shoulder injury.

Coetzee said Vermeulen's previous problem was a "stinger" to the shoulder and the first blow he took to the neck was against the Cheetahs in Round 16.

"He trained [throughout the week] without any problems and only at the captain's run [last Friday] it tightened up. There was nothing before that."

The Stormers – the newly-crowned 2015 South African conference champions – will face the Sharks in Durban on Saturday in both team's final league matches of the season, with lock Ruan Botha (ankle/calf) and wing Kobus van Wyk (knee) back in the selection mix.

Flanker Michael Rhodes will be exposed to a full week's training, after coming off the bench for 10 minutes at the weekend.

Loose forward Sikhumbuzo Notshe missed training on Monday with a cold, but he should be back at training on Tuesday.

Flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis – who left the field in the 16th minute against the Lions, after taking a blow to his head – did his concussion test and he will start training as of Tuesday.

"We've reached a few of our goals already – in terms of our minimum wins and winning the SA Conference trophy, plus we've won all but one of our away games against South African opposition," Coetzee said.

"The Sharks will be up for this one, against the team that has taken their conference trophy away from them, so we're expecting a fierce clash."