DHL Stormers backline coach Dawie Snyman says the reality of the Covid pandemic makes it impossible to look too far into the future as they continue with their Vodacom United Rugby Championship challenge. The Stormers play the Emirates Lions at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday @ 17h00 after the two scheduled matches against European clubs was postponed a week ago.
The assistant coach confirmed that Springbok locks Salmaan Moerat and Marvin Orie have returned to training, after sitting out last week. However, Damian Willemse availability is still not decided as he needs to get some time off, a decision will be made during the week.
Prop Steven Kitshoff and Herschel Jantjies, who both featured in all three matches on the year-end tour, are not yet back with the team and will only return after the Christmas break.
“They have been involved in all the Test matches, and they need a bit of a break, so they are recharging at the moment. They are spending some time with their families, having been in a few bubbles and a lot of time away from home. In the new year, when we start playing again, they will be back in the squad and preparing with us.”
Snyman said there is no certainty of when and where they will play in the immediate future and they are not looking beyond the match against the Emirates Lions this Saturday.
“At this point, we don’t know what the situation will be one week from now, let alone over a month from now, so we are just taking it one day at a time and not looking too far ahead,” said Snyman.
“What we know now is that we are playing against the Lions at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday and we are not looking beyond that.”
“It is of great importance to us that we get to play this week,” Snyman said.
“Our business is to play, but it is the times we are living in – we can’t control [certain] things and it is a changing environment.
“We are grateful that we will be able to be on the pitch on Saturday.”