No panic as Stormers await Sacha's injury update

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers’ flyhalf depth will be put to the test against the Scarlets, when they resume their United Rugby Championship title defence in Cape Town on Friday.

The Stormers, who return to action following the international break, will be missing some key players – as the match clashes with the Springboks Test against England in London.

First-choice flyhalf Manie Libbok has been included in the Bok squad after his impressive season with the Stormers, while another option at No.10 Damian Willemse is also unavailable due to national commitments.

To make things more complicated for coach John Dobson and his management is that Baby Bok skipper Sacha Feinberg-Mnogmezulu returned from the South African ‘A’ team’s tour with an injury.

Feinberg-Mnogmezulu sustained a leg injury while playing flyhalf for the SA ‘A’ against Bristol Bears last week.

The 20-year-old is set to undergo a scan of his leg to assess the severity of the injury, Stormers assistant coach Norman Laker confirmed.

“Sacha is going for a scan, and we will know more once it is done,” Stormers assistant coach Norman Laker said, adding: “But so far all the other players are available for Friday’s game.”

However, while Libbok and Willemse are absent, and with Feinberg-Mnogmezulu also unlikely to feature in Friday’s match, Laker explained that the team has built enough depth to fill the void.

“To lose a quality player like Manie is never easy, but we have several guys who in the meantime have been training with us over a long period of time and who have got to know the system.

“Think the players who will replace him will do very well. We also have two fantastic scrumhalves [Herschel Jantjies and Paul de Wet], as well as guys outside the flyhalf who can make it easier for whoever plays at No.10.

“We have Kade Wolhuter, who has trained with us a lot and who has played really well for us in the past.

“He has a bright future ahead of him, and Jean-Luc is back at the union.

“So, I would say we have enough depth at flyhalf.”

#⃣WATCH as @Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber unpacks the values that ‘rookie’ flyhalf Manie Libbok brings to the team. @king365ed reports.#Rugby 🏉#RugbyUnion🌍#ENGvRSA🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿V🇿🇦
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Surprise from Welsh

The Stormers will host the Scarlets this Friday at the Cape Town stadium.

The URC title holders head into the fixture with a slight advantage.

The last time the two sides met, the South Africans recorded a narrow 26-21 win in Llanelli.

While this time around the Capetonians also has some inside knowledge in the shape of Clayton Blommetjies.

The utility back had a short stint with the Welsh side – featuring in six matches during the 2019 season, before joining Leicester Tigers and then the Stormers.

Speaking of his expectation of his former side, Blommetjies said: “Scarlets is one of Welsh strongest teams.

“This year they have struggled a little bit, but when they get the ball they have dangerous players.

“The scrumhalf Gareth Davies, the centre Jonathan Davies and Leigh Halfpenny just returned so they do have a couple of internationals and I think they can deliver a surprise with their moves and plays

“But our defence will be up for the challenge and just go out there and do well for our team.”