No guarantee for Boks to lead Stormers
SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers will have a new captain in Dan du Plessis as they kick-off their URC season against Ospreys this Saturday.
The 2021/2 URC winning Stormers captain Steven Kitshoff and latest Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat who took the Stormers reigns from Kitshoff when he departed to Ulster will be considered for the team’s captaincy when they return to the side, but there are no guarantees for the stalwarts.
Moerat is currently on Springbok duty and Kitshoff is recovering from a neck injury he sustained during a Currie Cup clash against Griquas in Western Province’s final outing in the tournament.
Kitshoff’s injury leaves the Stormers thin at loosehead prop with Lizo Gqoboka sidelined with a long-term injury and Ali Vermaak also on the casualty list.
They do have some reinforcements in Sti Sithole who returns from injury and Leon Lyons who makes his return from Griquas following a loan spell as well as the versatile and experienced Brok Harris who can pack down on both sides of the scrum in their touring squad.
😮💨 We’ve scored some absolute beauties against the Ospreys and will be looking to add a few more this weekend in our first game of the new @Vodacom #URC season. #iamastormer #dhldelivers pic.twitter.com/AGczofLgRG
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) September 25, 2024
Stormers attack coach Dawie Snyman told @rugby365com that despite the change of captaincy and the possibility that it might change during the course of the season – the Stormers focus more on a leadership group as opposed to the responsibility falling on one player.
“Dan du Plessis will take the captaincy now when we’re on tour and obviously when Salmaan [Moerat] and Steven [Kitshoff] is back we’ll make the next decision in terms of who’s available.” Snyman said.
He added: “It’s not just around one person, we do have a leadership group so we want our senior players to take responsibility in certain areas of the game,”
“But like I said once Salmaan and Steven’s back in camp it will probably be in terms of who’s selected and how were going to go forward from there.”
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The Stormers will kick-off their season in Swansea against the Ospreys before taking on Zebre the following week and will conclude their three-match tour against Edinburgh.
