The Stormers are waiting on scans for Springbok eighthman Evan Roos after he hurt his knee in their 33-7 United Rugby Championship win over Ulster on Saturday.
Director of rugby John Dobson said Roos may have a medial ligament injury. Winger Leolin Zas also hurt his knee in the match at DHL Stadium.
“It looks like a medial ligament injury, but he hasn’t been scanned yet. It could be serious, but it’s not an ACL,” Dobson said.
“It could be six weeks, it could be a month, but it could be a pretty serious injury,” he said.
Roos had played well before he was forced off. He scored one of the five Stormers tries with a run of over 70 metres. He also carried the ball well and broke through several defenders.
The win kept the Stormers unbeaten at home this season. It also ended their first group of home matches. The team now has four weeks before the competition restarts.
The match was also meant to be the first game for hooker Bongi Mbonambi in his return to the Cape side. He withdrew after feeling a tight hamstring at captain’s training.
Mbonambi joined the Stormers after parting ways with the Sharks following a disciplinary dispute. He was brought in to help at hooker, where the team is short of players.
André-Hugo Venter, Deon Fourie and Lukhanyo Vokozela are all injured, while JJ Kotze is suspended. With Mbonambi out at the last minute, youngster Altus Rabe made his URC debut.
Dobson said the club moved fast to bring the hooker to Cape Town, then laughed about the late setback.
“I was proud of our efforts to get Bongi here within 24 hours. Then he comes to me at the captain’s run and says his hamstring is sore,” Dobson said.
“He hasn’t played for a long time and we didn’t want him to tear his hamstring. So he’ll be back; he could play next week if we had a game. We just pulled him as a precautionary,” he said.
The Stormers expect their injury list to look better after the break. The players will get time to rest with family and friends, and will train towards the end of the four weeks.
Dobson said Springboks Ben-Jason Dixon, who had concussion, and Cheslin Kolbe, who hurt his jaw, should be back for the December matches. He said the same about Keke Morabe, who hurt his cheek, and Ruan Ackermann.
Mbonambi should be fit for the return coastal derby against the Sharks in Durban next month.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Sport. Image: IOL Sport. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.