INJURIES to key players in the Crusaders and Stormers teams ahead of Saturday’s top-of-the-table Super Rugby clash yesterday threatened to weaken what was expected to be one of the most thrilling Super Rugby clashes of the weekend.
Only a few hours after Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder revealed that All Black flyhalf Dan Carter (hamstring) and prop Ben Franks (lower back) would be sidelined for the clash, Stormers coach Allister Coetzee announced that Bok flyhalf Peter Grant and wing Bryan Habana would not feature either.
Carter and Franks join star scrumhalf Andy Ellis and locks Brad Thorn and Sam Whitelock on the casualty list, meaning the Crusaders will be without a handful of stars.
Grant is still struggling to recover from the knee injury that has sidelined him for the past few weeks, so Lionel Cronje will start at flyhalf. Habana, who suffered a rib injury against the Sharks last week, will be replaced by Johann Sadie.
Fortunately for Coetzee, Cronje has done a fine job as a replacement for Grant, but he will face a tough test against the most successful Super Rugby team since the inception of the series.
With Habana injured, Coetzee opted to move Bok utility back Gio Aplon from the right wing to the left, with Sadie taking over at No14.
The good news for Coetzee, however, was that star hooker Tiaan Liebenberg has recovered fully from the knee injury which had ruled him out of the Super Rugby series up to now, and will start on the bench in place of Ethienne Reynecke.
His presence is expected to boost the Stormers’ attack, thanks to his pace, power and ability to burst over the advantage line.
Commenting on the injuries to Grant and Habana, Coetzee said: "We will not play guys who have not recovered fully from injury. There is still a long way to go in the competition, so we have to back our depth. But Peter and Bryan will be ready for the tour and should play next week (against the Chiefs)."
Coetzee paid little attention to the absence of Carter and Franks from the Crusaders team. He said: "They have good depth throughout their squad and they have won games with Matt Berquist at flyhalf, so we are expecting nothing less from them. They have quality players throughout their squad and they don’t have many weaknesses, so it is going to be a tough clash. They will also want to get one against us after we beat them at Newlands last year."
Coetzee admitted it would take a brave 22-man effort and an accurate performance to register another morale-boosting victory before the Stormers depart for New Zealand.
"We have to pitch up with the same physical intensity (that) we displayed against the Sharks and we have to be accurate in all areas of our game. The Crusaders have a strong pack, good looseforwards and their backs are very dangerous on attack, so they will ask different questions to the Sharks. There is no doubt that we will have to be at our best."
n Springbok and Bulls prop Gurthrö Steenkamp was ruled out for the remainder of the Super Rugby series yesterday after failing to make a speedy recovery from a fracture in his forearm, which has sidelined him since late March.
However, he told Business Day he had no doubt that he would recover in time for the Rugby World Cup.
The player missed the Springbok year-end tour to the UK last November after breaking his forearm, and then returned in the early rounds of the Super Rugby series before suffering a second fracture.
Bulls team doctor Org Strauss said: "Gurthrö saw the specialist on Tuesday for his follow-up consultation, but the news was not that good. His arm is recovering, but slower than initially expected and slower than we thought it would. With some very important rugby coming up later in the year, a call was made to give Steenkamp sufficient time to recover. The decision was taken with the World Cup in mind."
Asked if he would recover in time to play in the international spectacle, Steenkamp said: "Yeah, definitely."
没有评论:
发表评论