DHL Stormers injury report – 26/05/14

Van Wyk, a late starter against the Cheetahs last week after captain Jean de Villiers cried off with a knee injury, will be available for selection again after the June break.

Fortunately, Samoan wing Sailosi Tagicakibau (calf muscle) came through the Cheetahs match well and will be considered for selection against the Sharks (on Saturday).

Flank Schalk Burger – who captained the team against the Cheetahs – is by no means a certainty to start against the Sharks, but Argentine lock Manuel Carizza will be considered for selection after a long lay-off.

The full DHL Stormers injury report (26/05/14):

– Wing Kobus van Wyk (wrist) will be out of action for three weeks.
– Flank Schalk Burger (neck spasms) is a 50-50 call at this stage in terms of his availability for the Sharks match. He will be assessed again later in the week.
– Lock Manuel Carizza (wrist) will be considered for selection against the Sharks. He has not played for the DHL Stormers since the team’s 19-18 win over the Hurricanes on February 28.
– Hooker/flank Deon Fourie (concussion) has showed no further symptoms after failing a pitch-side test on Saturday. He will be tested again before the weekend.
– Prop Ali Vermaak and winger Cheslin Kolbe both sat out training with bumps and bruises from the weekend but will be available for selection.
– The following squad players remain sidelined with injuries at present: Prop Steven Kitshoff (knee and foot), hookers Scarra Ntubeni (broken foot) and Tiaan Liebenberg (neck), locks Eben Etzebeth (foot – available again after the June break), Jurie van Vuuren (shoulder), De Kock Steenkamp (groin), Rynhardt Elstadt (shoulder) and Gerbrandt Grobler (shoulder), scrumhalves Louis Schreuder (fractured thumb) and Godlen Masimla (wrist), centre Jean de Villiers (knee – see the full injury report on De Villiers HERE) and fullbacks Gio Aplon (elbow) and Ryno Eksteen (knee).

Speaking about Schalk Burger’s neck injury – which saw him leave the field at half-time on Saturday – DHL Stormers head coach Allister Coetzee revealed: “The chances of Schalk playing against the Sharks are 50-50. The affected area (in his neck) has settled nicely, he is feeling much better.

“At this stage we are preparing as if he won’t be playing, but we’ll get a chance to see him when he returns from Durban and then make a call on Wednesday.”

And Coetzee, speaking to www.iamastormer.com on the prospect of facing the Sharks in Durban (kick-off 19h10), added: “The Sharks are not the current Vodacom Super Rugby log-leaders for nothing.

“They’ve grown in confidence as the tournament has progressed and their win over the Crusaders in Christchurch says a lot about their character and state of mind.

“They’re a physical side who are strong at the breakdown and with a good kicking game. This is, without doubt, our biggest challenge of the year.

“The Sharks are a side that like to punish any errors, so we will need to be accurate again as we were against the Cheetahs at DHL Newlands on Saturday.”