CAPE TOWN - Stormers’ assistant coach Rito Hlungwani reckons that the Cape franchise’s tight five is well stocked despite losing a couple of players from the engine room.
While the loss of Springbok tighthead Wilco Louw - now with Harlequins in England - is surely felt, the forwards coach is confident that their succession plan is of such quality that they don’t have to do any recruitment for a scrum anchor.
“It’s always tough to lose a tighthead, especially if he was a Springbok, but at the same time it gives the guys coming up an opportunity,” he said.
“Neethling (Fouche) has been putting his hand up for a while now and I think eventually now he’s going to get an opportunity.
“We’ve also got some very good youngsters like Sazi Sandi, who played SA Under-20s and SA Schools; he’s a very promising prospect, so this opens the door for these guys.
“We haven’t gone out and looked for another tighthead - we’re very confident in our recruitment department and that there has been a very good succession plan in place, it’s just a matter of letting the boys play to gain that experience.
“We’re very happy with Neethling and Sazi coming up to support Frans (Malherbe).”
The Stormers also lost forward Cobus Wiese during the 21-day exit window, but Hlungwani is confident that the line-out option is another route they’ve covered.
“Cobus was also a big loss, but one thing I can say is that he had been injury prone for the past couple of years, so we had made a plan to have youngsters covering lock,” the coach said.
“We have David Meihuizen coming through, he’ll get a good opportunity now.
“Ernst van Rhyn on the blindside flank has also been coming in and out and he’ll also get a good opportunity now.
“We still have Johan du Toit who can also cover blindside flank, and we’ve brought in some Under-21 youngsters, so we’re well covered.
“I think Ernst and David will cover the gap that Cobus has left well.”
There won’t be too much weight lost on the other side of the scrum either when the domestic competition kicks off, Hlungwani assured - even though Alistair Vermaak is still nursing a neck injury.
“Ali is currently training on his own, he’s not ready for contact, but he’s working on his aerobic base. We’re also well covered in his position.”
@WynonaLouw