Tom Dawson-Squibb expects several key players to return from injury as the Stormers XXIII look to respond to their bruising 41-3 Currie Cup defeat to Boland.
The Cape side were outplayed in Wellington, but Dawson-Squibb believes reinforcements on the injury front could provide a timely lift ahead of their next assignment against the Sharks XV in Cape Town on Saturday.
“We’ve got a few players coming back, so hopefully that’ll make a difference,” he said.
“We’re obviously playing a different opposition on a different ground and I’d like to think we’ll bounce back from this.
“We’re going to train with the URC guys this week because they’re prepping for the All Blacks [on 7 August], which I think will lift us.”
ALSO: Best available SA URC teams to tackle All Blacks
Among those expected to be available again are captain Jean-Luc du Plessis, who was forced off with a knee injury in the opening-round win over Griquas, as well as first-team regular Suleiman Hartzenberg.
“I think JL will be back, [wing] Suleiman Hartzenberg is back and fit, [wing] Joel Leotlela, [scrumhalf] Ezekiel Ngobeni, [prop] Ollie Reid, [prop] Danie Kruger and [loose forward] Louw Nel,” said Dawson-Squibb. “So there are options from a selection point of view.”
CAVS SKIPPER: Like a mamba, we got Stormers
Despite the one-sided defeat, Dawson-Squibb refused to single out his players and instead backed the squad to produce a much-improved performance.
“We need to be better,” he said. “The easiest thing to say is select a different team, but you’ve got what you’ve got and I’m confident in the guys that we’ve got enough in the tank.
“We need to be better, we need to change one or two things.
“I’m obviously frustrated at the moment – partly with how we performed and maybe partly with myself. What could we have done differently?
“You always do that as a coach. It’s easier to sit and blame the players, but I’m not going to do that.”
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
The post Stormers set for timely boost appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.