Injury-hit Stormers face massive Loftus test in Currie Cup play-off push

Scrumhalf Ezekiel Ngobeni will lead the Stormers XXIII in their second-last Currie Cup round-robin match against the Bulls as they fight for a place in the knockouts.

The penultimate round of the Currie Cup kicks off on Friday afternoon, with a couple of South Africa’s United Rugby Championship franchises in desperate need of victories to keep their chances alive in the domestic tournament.

For the Stormers XXIII and Lions, it could be last-chance saloon to make the quarter-finals this year , with crucial clashes against the Bulls XV and Sharks XV respectively.

Both sides are away from home, which will make the clashes in Pretoria (5pm start) and Durban (7pm start) that much tougher for the visitors. However, they must pick up at least four points to keep themselves in the running.

The Stormers will rock up to Loftus Versfeld for the North-South derby with a new captain and a reshuffled team due to a few serious injuries. That doesn’t bode well for the Cape Tonians, especially knowing they must win.

Ezekiel Ngobeni will lead the side from scrumhalf, with fellow No 9 Stefan Ungerer and regular captain and flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis both ruled out with injuries. Du Plessis underwent surgery on his hand. In the forwards, lock Gary Porter and loose forwards Keke Morabe (cheekbone, eight weeks) and Wandile Mlaba are also on the sidelines. Porter and Mlaba could be back for the final league game.

However, that is considerable experience the Stormers are losing looking at the players out, and it could put them on the back foot from the start.

Head coach Tom Dawson-Squibb said that despite the injuries, his team is ready to embrace the occasion.

“A North-South at Loftus is a big game regardless of anyone’s position on the log and it’s always been a special clash since the first one,” the coach said

“We know that every player selected will be ready to give their best and to take the opportunity. We haven’t lacked energy in this competition and this game will ramp it up even more.

“It has been a really good week of training, and we are excited to rise to the challenge that waits for us in Pretoria.”

For the Bulls, it’s an opportunity to bag a first win of their campaign against a depleted side. However, they know that plenty of the Stormers youngsters will look to put up a fight as they push for URC positions.

Three players will debut for the Loftus side against their arch-rivals, and it’s another opportunity for the young guns of the home team to make an impression. To date, they have had 24 debutants in the Currie Cup, and the trio should take that tally to 27 players.

In Durban, the Lions are hot on the heels of the fourth-placed Boland Kavaliers, and they can put some pressure on them with a victory against the Sharks XV. The Kavaliers will only play on Sunday, so the Johannesburg side could find themselves in third or fourth if they bag a bonus-point win over the struggling Durbanites.