The DHL Stormers have received a vital shot of experience as they muscle up for their Investec Champions Cup clash with Harlequins in London on Saturday night.
Stormers defence coach Norman Laker has confirmed that Springbok lock Salmaan Moerat is available for selection. A 27-man squad left Cape Town on Monday in preparation for their second game of the 2024-25 EPCR campaign.
Moerat, who last played a match in round 5 of the Rugby Championship in September following a knee injury, could come straight into the match-day 23 as the Stormers look to bounce back to winning ways at Twickenham Stoop this week.
The inaugural Vodacom URC champions are coming off a loss to French giants Toulon in Gqeberha, where Manie Libbok, Keke Morabe and Ben-Jason Dixon all travelled back home hurt and joined a host of Stormers players on the sidelines.
“It’s been tough injury-wise the last couple of games for us,” Laker said during a teleconference on Tuesday. “But Salmaan Moerat is back and available for selection.
“He is a quality human being, we know each other quite well and have come a long way. He’s a good leader and means a lot to the team.”
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Morabe underwent knee surgery on Monday, ruling him out long term, while Libbok and Dixon (both concussion) will be reassessed after 12 days as per HIA protocols.
Laker, however, is confident of the next generation of talent at the Cape outfit making the step up on the European stage.
“At the moment we do have a lot of injuries, we can’t look away from it. It will take one or two youngsters to make it into a match-day 23 or just train with the team to make sure we have the numbers,” he said.
“One or two of them will get an opportunity to prove what they’ve shown us in the Currie Cup.”
Playmaker Jurie Matthee is likely to replace World Cup winner Libbok in the No 10 jersey, with the latest injury setbacks set to test the Stormers’ depth.
Matthee kicked two conversions, three penalties and a drop goal as the Stormers went down to the Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Welford Road in their Champions Cup opener last season.
Laker was tight-lipped on the makeup of the Stormers touring group but confirmed that Matthee is “100 percent fit and has travelled with the team”.
Director of rugby John Dobson will name the lineup to face Quins on Friday afternoon.
Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images
