Stormers suffer cruel second row blow ahead of Glasgow face-off
NEWS: The Stormers were dealt another cruel blow ahead of their United Rugby Championship top-of-the-table clash with Glasgow Warriors.
@rugby365com can confirm that stalwart lock JD Schickerling has been ruled out for up to six months.
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said the injury will rule the lock out for “at least five months”.
He suffered a knee injury in last week’s heartbreaking 24-33 loss to Irish province Connacht in Cape Town.
“He needs surgery for an osteochondral lesion,” Dobson said, adding: “We have had substantial lock injuries this season, so his workload has exacerbated this.”
Schickerling, 30, has been a mainstay for the second-placed Stormers during a period when they were struggling with second row resources.
Injuries to first-choice locks Ruben van Heerden and captain Salmaan Moerat left Schickerling and Adré Smith as their frontline selections.
Montpellier-bound Van Heerden only recently returned from injury, while Moerat, who has signed with French powerhouse La Rochelle, will hopefully be back in time for the URC play-offs.
Connor Evans, Gary Porter and Springbok utility Ben-Jason Dixon are alternative options in the second row.
The gloves will be off when Glasgow Warriors arrive at the Cape Town stadium on Saturday for a top-of-the-table United Rugby Championship face-off with the Stormers.
The Warriors will take their ‘A-team’ out of cotton wool and restore several of their senior players, including captain Kyle Steyn.
Flyhalf Adam Hastings is another back in contention after sitting out the Lions match due to a head injury.
The United Rugby Championship leaders are reeling after their Champions Cup defeat against Toulon was followed by a humbling 12-54 loss to the Lions in Johannesburg at Ellis Park last week.
The Warriors have a chance to reassert their authority in the race to secure home play-offs, however, when they visit second-placed Stormers, who suffered a frustrating loss of their own at home to Connacht last weekend.
Glasgow, the league leaders, are four points clear of the Stormers.
@JanDKrugby
@rugby365com
