Boosted by a fresh face in Ruben van Heerden, the DHL Stormers pack is expected to maintain their high standards despite being without several experienced Springboks for the away match against Ulster on Friday.
These were the thoughts of forwards coach Rito Hlungwani after the Stormers departed for Belfast without most of their Springboks to take on a physical Ulster as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship resumes this weekend.
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Captain Steven Kitshoff and veteran tighthead Frans Malherbe have both begun their mandatory Springbok resting period and will be out of action for the next four weeks. Fellow Bok forwards Joseph Dweba and Deon Fourie have also been rested for the week, while Neethling Fouche remained in South Africa to attend the birth of his child.
However, the Stormers will be captained by Marvin Orie and their travelling squad features a pair of fresh legs in Van Heerden. The 25-year-old second rower joined from Exeter Chiefs last week on a short-term deal, with a view to a longer stay in Cape Town, and the Stormers are eager to get him up and running as soon as possible.
“It’s always nice when a new lock comes into the system, especially one with Ruben’s quality,” said Hlungwani. “He is 2m tall and 120kg. He’s played for the Bulls, the Sharks and Exeter Chiefs, so he has massive experience.
“We spoke briefly and we had a long call last week. We had a good chat about the expectations, but I must say the one thing that strikes me about him is that he is just a humble good guy.
“He’s coming to fill in at No 4 and can also play at No 5 as well. Our pack thrives on physicality and a high level of intelligence when it comes to lineouts. We want Ruben to get comfortable as soon as possible and show what a good player he is.
“I always encourage the No 4 locks and No 7 flanks to get comfortable with calling the lineouts. Ruben has done it with the Sharks, Bulls and Exeter and is very comfortable with it. He will do this with us over the next few weeks once he has settled in and got the hang of our system.”
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The Stormers will still be able to field an experienced pack as veteran hooker Scarra Ntubeni is back from a long-term injury, while Bok No 8 Evan Roos has travelled after playing his first game of the year in the Champions Cup last week.
“We expect standards to be where they were last week and the week before. We want to keep improving regardless of who is playing in the team,” Hlungwani added. “The guys know the job they have to do.”
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