The Stormers are “running out of cattle” according to head coach John Dobson after two players were hospitalised after the game against Toulon.
The Champions Cup fixture was moved to Port Elizabeth to accomodate the Cape Town SVNS event, but it proved to be a “bad day at the office”.
Springbok flyhalf Mannie Libbok suffered a head injury and flanker Keke Morabe had his second fractured leg in nine months, both were admitted to hospital as a result.
Libbok is the ninth Stormers’ Springbok to be sidelined in a growing injury toll that is leaving the Cape Town club stretched for depth.
“The truth is we are running out of cattle,” Dobson admitted.
“It’s a sore changing room, two guys are in hospital. It was a brutal game. We stuck around and the fight was nice but there aren’t many bigger teams, compared to La Rochelle, it was tough.
Defence
“For us, and some might say it is an excuse, but not through substitutions or selections, but to play that game without Deon [Fourie], Evan [Roos], Keke [Morabe], Ben [Jason-Dixon], Frans [Malherbe], Kitsie [Steven Kitshoff], Damian [Willemse], Sacha [Feinberg-Mnogemzulu], Manie [Libbok] – it’s not insignificant.
“Keke has fractured his leg again, second time in nine months, which is really tough. I think it’s the same one but I might be wrong.
“Manie is very bad, he has gone to hospital. Normally with a concussion, you don’t go straight to the hospital – so I’d imagine there is some concern there.
“BJ failed his second HIA, Ruben is sore but nothing too serious. It is quite a bad day at the office as it is.”
The injury-hit Stormers will travel to London next week for round two of the Champions Cup against Harlequins.
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