DHL Stormers await news on injured lock Adre Smith, with coach John Dobson already working without several key players ahead a Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with the Lions.
The Stormers lost to Cardiff on Saturday, which ended a 15-game unbeaten run for the defending champions, with Smith injuring his toe at Cardiff Arms Park.
The Capetonians return home this week ahead of a trip to Ellis Park on Saturday, but Manie Libbok, Sacha Mngomezulu and Evan Roos will join the Springbok training camp in Stellenbosch on their arrival from Wales.
Libbok, Mngomezulu and Roos will have a few days off before returning to Stormers’ training on Wednesday, but Dobson must do without Bok props Frans Malherbe and Steven Kitshoff due to national commitments.
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So, the injury setback for Smith is another selection poser and if ruled out, stand-in captain Ernst van Rhyn is likely to slot into the second row from the side of the scrum.
“Adre Smith did a turf toe, which is a blow, he was having a good game … it’s the ligaments at the bottom of your toe so we’ll have a look at him,” said Dobson post-match on Saturday.
“[But] we’ll have to get used to winning games with teams at 70% to 80% strength rather than complaining about unavailable players. We’re rarely going to be at 100%.
“Damian Willemse, Ruhan Nel, Seabelo Senatla, Herschel Jantjies, Evan Roos and Deon Fourie were all out [on Saturday] but we still have to be good enough.
“That is why we have worked so hard to build our depth, that’s one thing we did well on tour.”
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