Stormers coach Gert Smal is giving Schalk Burger until Friday to prove his match fitness for Saturday’s Super 12 clash against the Crusaders at Newlands.
The 2004 International Rugby Board player of the year strained a calf muscle in last week’s 15-13 win over the Reds. Smal wants to play him at number eight, as Adri Badenhorst injured knee ligaments in the same match.
Former Western Province and Stormers player Pietie Ferreira has nevertheless jetted down to the Cape as cover.
The Stormers’ loose-forward injuries has forced Smal to move lock Gerrie Britz to the flank.
Injury to Britz’s second-row partner Quinton Davids means the Stormers will field a new lock pair in Andries Bekker and Rob Linde.
At the back, Gaffie du Toit has come into the starting line-up at fullback for Werner Greeff, who is concussed.
”I would like to believe we are the underdogs,” said Smal, who has been frustrated this year by their side failing to fulfil their potential.
”There is a lot of experience in the Crusaders side. It’s going to be a huge challenge to beat them. We’ll have to put pressure on them for the full 80 minutes.”
Despite their failure to impress last week, Smal is happy that his side have done well in three critical areas: defence, discipline and their first phases.
Discipline will be particularly important against the Crusaders, who have All Black star Dan Carter as their goal-kicker. Andrew Mehrtens is likely to be on the bench.
”With Carter and Mehrtens, we can’t afford to make mistakes in our own half,” acknowledged Smal.
The Stormers have juggled Gaffie du Toit and Chris Rossouw as their goal-kickers without an acceptable success ratio.
”They have worked on that continuously. The players had another [kicking] session this morning,” he added.
The lock pair of Linde and Bekker, together with Britz on the flank, will give the Stormers good line-out options.
”It’s one of the areas we can put pressure on the Crusaders,” said Smal. ”We know our capabilities. There are plenty of reasons that we can believe in ourselves.” — Sapa
Stormers: Gaffie du Toit, Breyton Paulse, Marius Joubert, De Wet Barry (captain), Jean de Villiers, Chris Rossouw, Bolla Conradie, Schalk Burger/Pietie Ferreira, Gerrie Britz, Luke Watson, Rob Linde, Andries Bekker, Faan Rautenbach, Pieter Dixon, Eddie Andrews. Substitutes: Lukas van Biljon, Riaan Olckers, Ross Skeate, David Hendriks, Neil de Kock, Gus Theron, Tonderai Chavhanga.