DHL Stormers captain Salmaan Moerat will make his comeback from injury against the Sharks on Saturday, and praised Neethling Fouche for stepping up in his absence.
The coastal rivals clash in round 10 of the Vodacom URC at Kings Park, and Moerat makes his return from a shoulder injury on a replacements bench which also features Wandisile Simelane, who will make his Stormers debut when he takes the field.
Moerat, who in August 2023 was named skipper of the inaugural URC champions this season, last featured in round 1 of the competition. The likes of Fouche, who will lead the team this week, Brok Harris and Deon Fourie have shared the armband in the interim.
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview on Heart FM’s ‘Super Saturdays on Saturday’ with Jeremy Harris, the two-Test Springbok lock hailed the performances and leadership group of the Stormers while relishing the opportunity to get back on the park.
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“I’m playing my first [competitive] game back after about five months so it’s really good, it’s really nice to be back in that team environment,” Moerat said.
“You can clearly see all the hard work that has gone into the team and the progress that the team has made.
“I’ll try my best and for me, it’s about contributing to the team at this moment.”
He added: “A lot of our players have been on the sidelines, Frans Malherbe being one of them, who’s a quality player. But if you look at a player like Neethling Fouche, who has really stepped up to the plate [and] led, it’s been wonderful to see.
“Leadership has changed so much over the years; before, everyone just looked to the captain itself. Nowadays, in most teams and sporting groups there’s a leadership group.
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“Certain players look after certain departments of the game, whether that be attack, defence, the lineouts, the scrums.
“For me as the captain, it makes the job so much easier so you can focus solely on your game and doing well.”
The Stormers are in seventh place on the URC standings, while the Sharks are firmly at the foot of the table, yet Moerat expects a real test from John Plumtree’s charges.
“There’s quality all round and it’s a fantastic squad of players. They’ll always be there and you have to give them the respect, and if they do pitch they can make it very hard for you,” he said.
“And it doesn’t get much harder than playing them at home so it’s a wonderful challenge.”
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