Stormers lose skipper Salmaan Moerat until March

The Stormers have suffered a blow with the news that co-captain Salmaan Moerat has been ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury.

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Moerat sustained the injury in the Cape side’s 30-26 United Rugby Championship (URC) win over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday.

Fellow co-captain Steven Kitshoff will captain the side against the Sharks on Saturday in another Mzansi United Rugby Championship derby.

Stormers coach John Dobson confirmed Moerat’s diagnosis, but expressed his happiness with the back-up options at his disposal.

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“Salmaan went for a scan on Monday. We thought after the game he would be OK, but he has damaged his MCL, so I would imagine he is out for a reasonably extended period of six weeks,” Dobson said.

“Obviously, Kitshoff will take over [the captaincy].

“The injury happened early in the second half. I don’t think it’s anything more than, at worst, a grade two. It won’t require a surgical intervention.”

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When asked if he was comfortable with the second-rowers at his disposal to replace Salmaan Moerat, Dobson said:

“Very much so, which wasn’t the case at the start of the URC or in the Currie Cup semi-finals. Saying that, we have to be quite aggressive because Adre Smith, in my mind, is a very similar player to Salmaan. Both are capable of calling the lineout. So, it’s like for like.

“Adre is at least as good as Moerat in the lineouts. We will be better at the lineouts than we were last week.”

Sharks v Stormers will get under way at 17:05

Kick-off at Kings Park on Saturday, 29 January is at 17:05.

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