VIDEO: Stormers suffer another big blow as they search for 'fizz'
SPOTLIGHT: Just when they thought that some of their midfield woes were over, the Stormers suffered another mammoth blow.
Centre Ruhan Nel had to leave the field on a medical cart after suffering a knee injury in the first half of Saturday’s 16-15 win over the Sharks in Cape Town.
After the match, head coach John Dobson told reporters that he doesn’t expect to see his star midfielder play again this season.
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“It looks like a pretty serious knee injury. I heard on the radio that it was PCL or MCL, but I found out later that it might be ACL [anterior cruciate ligament],” said Dobson.
“Either way it’s his season [over].”
Things were looking up for the Stormers in the midfield department ahead of the match after Dan du Plessis returned from a long-term injury.
However, after losing Nel, Dobson will have to tweak his combinations again.
“Suleiman [Hartzenberg] can play No.13 and he is a good No.13, ” the Stormers coach added.
“Ben loader is coming back. We got another plan, but I might get into trouble if I share it now.”
No fizz
Meanwhile, The Stormers had to show some grit once again to record their third victory in a row in all competitions.
“I would very much like our fizz to come back,” said Dobson.
“There have been one or two moments. This team has amazing resilience and that was a big change for us when Ruhan Nel went off.
“I said we were comfortable during the week, but he [Jurie Matthee] hasn’t even played fullback at Varsity Cup. You saw that try they scored off that maul and he was 30 yards behind.
“it was just not his fault.
“And then there was Ali [Vermaak] stuff [yellow card] and they got the upper hand.
“We have amazing fight. In terms of the fizz stuff and the bling that we want back, there are glimpses of it.
“The story of today [Saturday], was when I looked at the forwards and I just thought that we put these guys in the grinder.
“It was actually the first time in my career where I felt the message that was coming out from the players was: “Listen we’re out.”
“After La Rochelle and the Bulls, Ruben [van Heerden] played for 240 minutes and Neethling [Fouche] 210 minutes. I thought physically we got done, but the way we stayed in the fight and closed the game was very good.”
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