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Depth tested as Stormers and Bulls navigate injury woes before pivotal URC clash

Depth tested as Stormers and Bulls navigate injury woes before pivotal URC clash
Deon Fourie (captain) of the Stormers during the United Rugby Championship match between DHL Stormers and Hollywoodbets Sharks at DHL Stadium on December 30, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
Jon Cardinelli
By Jon Cardinelli
7 Feb 2025
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The stakes will be particularly high when the Stormers host the Bulls in the north-south derby at DHL Stadium this Saturday.

Due to the injury situation at both clubs, the result may hinge on the performances of several second-choice players, and the management of coaches John Dobson and Jake White will be under scrutiny like never before.

The Stormers need to bounce back after two heavy defeats against Stade Francais and Leinster and revive their United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign. As it stands, the 12th-ranked side are in danger of missing out on the URC playoffs.

The Bulls are more favourably positioned in third place, but should be equally desperate for victory. They’ve lost seven of the last eight North-South derbies and have yet to beat the Stormers at the DHL Stadium.

Following the visit to Cape Town, they will play three consecutive matches in Pretoria. At a glance, they have a fantastic opportunity to win the bulk of those derbies, and to consolidate their status as the South African frontrunners for the title.

The big story at this stage, of course, is the absence of key players on both sides of the north-south divide.

Never-ending grind continues to claim victims


After being booted out of Super Rugby in 2021, the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers joined the URC, and subsequently the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments.

Four years down the line, and it’s fair to say that South African rugby’s pivot to Europe has been a commercial success, and has yielded some silverware in the form of a URC title (for the Stormers in 2022) as well as a Challenge Cup trophy (for the Sharks in 2024).

Bulls coach Jake White. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images)



Stormers coach John Dobson. (Photo: Tyler Miller / Gallo Images)



The move has created a significant logistical problem, however, with the Springboks competing in the northern hemisphere club season between September and June, and then playing for the national side between July and November.

Steps have been taken by MyPlayers — the players’ organisation — and the clubs to mitigate burnout, with a mandatory eight-week rest period and a 32-game cap introduced in 2022. And yet, the never-ending season continues to claim victims, as the present injury list suggests.

The Sharks will be without fullback Aphelele Fassi and centre André Esterhuizen for a significant part of their URC campaign, while it remains to be seen when lock Eben Etzebeth — who’s played a lot of rugby for club and country over the past few seasons — will return.

Depleted stocks


The Bulls have travelled to Cape Town without Elrigh Louw, who sustained a serious knee injury in the recent win against the Lions in Johannesburg. The versatile loose forward, who was one of the Boks’ top performers during a monumental 2024 Test campaign, is unlikely to return before the URC playoffs.

Lock Ruan Nortjé, another senior figure at the Bulls who made an impression with the Boks in 2024, is also struggling, while flyhalves Johan Goosen and Boeta Chamberlain recently joined the casualty ward. Winger Kurt-Lee Arendse is currently on a sabbatical with the Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars in the Far East.

Nama Xaba of the Bulls on the drive as Ewan Ashman of Edinburgh tackles him at Loftus Versfeld on 28 September 2024 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo: Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)



The Stormers' Deon Fourie in action against the Sharks at DHL Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)



The Stormers also released lock Adré Smith recently to pursue a short-term contract with Toyota Verblitz in Japan’s League One. While not a Bok, Smith’s absence will be felt by a Stormers franchise that recently lost another lock in JD Schickerling to injury 

The Cape pack is already without the inspirational Steven Kitshoff — who is recovering from neck surgery — while the backline is missing Boks of the quality of Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse and Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu. The situation at No 10 and 12 has been further exacerbated by Jean-Luc du Plessis’ hand injury.

Derby a test of depth


Dobson and White have been scrambling to replace the aforementioned players and rejig their respective combinations before the crunch meeting at Cape Town Stadium.

While the forwards usually have a big say in these local showdowns, the performances of the respective flyhalves and goal kickers often prove decisive. Five of the past eight north-south derbies have been decided by six points or fewer.

The Stormers could be without as many as four flyhalf options, while the Bulls will be without two. There is some excitement around the selection of Willie le Roux at No 10 this weekend, but it will be interesting to see how this affects the balance of the Bulls backline, and whether the Bok fullback is entrusted with the kicking duties.

It’s a shame that such a high-profile fixture will play out in the absence of so many key protagonists. In an ideal scenario, we’d see Kitshoff packing down against Wilco Louw at scrum time, Schickerling competing with Nortjé at the lineout, and BJ Dixon battling Elrigh Louw at the gainline.

How about the prospect of Libbok running at Goosen, or Willemse lining up against Harold Vorster in the midfield? Unfortunately, we may have to wait another season for such match-ups.

Nevertheless, the URC show will go on — and this may be the ultimate test of depth for both franchises, and at a crucial juncture of the season.

The Bulls have some quality in reserve, especially in the pack, and may fancy their chances at the breakdown.

By all accounts, Le Roux has made a significant impact on the younger players since moving to Pretoria in 2023, and could provide a more permanent option in that flyhalf channel going forward.

With Libbok, Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Willemse all on the injured list, national coach Rassie Erasmus will be watching Le Roux’s performance this weekend with keen interest.

It’s one thing to believe that Le Roux has the capacity to start at No 10 at this level, and another thing to see the player in action. If all goes well in Cape Town, Erasmus may well consider Le Roux for the No 10 duties at some stage, if the current flyhalf crisis persists. DM

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