Leighton Koopman
It will be difficult for the Stormers to replace the genius of Damian Willemse over the next couple of matches.
But in utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and centre Wandisile Simelane, they don’t lack excellent replacements for the rest of the United Rugby Championship (URC).
Simelane’s new midfield partnership with Dan du Plessis has been coming along favourably and the two feed off each other so well on the attack and in defence. The return of Feinberg-Mngomezulu as an option at inside centre, and his form since he started playing again, will make the selection choice tougher. Whoever the Cape side goes with, they shouldn't be out of their depth over the next few games.
A win against the Lions at DHL Stadium (kick-off 1.45 pm) will secure fifth spot and Champions Cup qualification for the home team, but in the event of an unexpected loss, they only need one point from the clash to qualify for Europe’s elite club rugby tournament.
Dawie Snyman, the Stormers backline coach, admitted they will miss Willemse, who suffered a finger injury, but have plenty of faith in the replacement options. Scrumhalf Paul de Wet and winger Ben Loader are also available for selection after recovering from injuries.
“Losing Damian is a massive blow,” said Snyman.
“He brings leadership to the group and is a great player. But we have other options. Wandi (Simelane) can go to the centre. We have Sacha playing.
“Those guys must step up, and it’s a good opportunity for them. We will also rely on guys like Manie (Libbok), Warrick (Gelant), and the other guys to fill the void Damian will leave.
“It is never nice to lose a big player like that, but it’s an opportunity for the youngsters.”
Snyman also said they will look to give some fringe players a run to keep building capacity for the play-offs, so that they won’t go into the quarter-finals cold, if they are required.
But at the same time, they want to keep crucial combinations together as they build towards an away quarter-final clash in a couple of weeks. The Stormers will know by the end of the weekend who they will face.
For now, they are out to stop a roaring Lions side who still have a chance to qualify for the knockouts if they complete a bonus-point win over the Stormers and other results go their way.
“They are coming down here on a mission and there is a lot at stake for them. They won’t know what they need (to make the play-offs), so the first thing will be to beat us.
“But, in saying that, we are solely focused on our game. We know what the Lions will bring and we have analysed them, so we know where they are strong and where there might be a few opportunities for us.
“Our motivation will be to put out a good Stormers performance and it’s great they are coming down with a lot of motivation. They will test us and we need a good test.”