Tiaan's hopes dashed

The Stormers suffered a massive setback just a week before the start of the 2011 Super 15 tournament when hooker Tiaan Liebenberg sustained a serious knee injury.

Liebenberg, arguably the heart of the tight five, is believed to have damaged his cruciate ligaments during the Stormers' 34-6 win over Boland at Newlands on Saturday.

Team management were mum on the severity of the injury yesterday, but it's likely that Liebenberg will miss the entire competition.

Coach Allister Coetzee was glum after the game and would only say that: "It looks like he'll be out for a long time."

The Cape side will confirm the extent of the injury today.

But it didn't take a medical degree to understand that Liebenberg realised his season was over. He was stretchered off in the 32nd minute and his body language indicated that he knew a long rehabilitation lay ahead.

The Stormers are also still sweating over the availability of Springbok wing Gio Aplon, who had a scope on his knee on Friday.

The Bok flyer should make a full recovery but he remains a doubtful starter for their tournament opener against the Lions on February 26.

Liebenberg's injury thrusts Deon Fourie into the spotlight, as he'll now become the Stormers' first-choice hooker with under-21 hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni emerging as his understudy.

But it's unlikely that Coetzee or Western Province senior coach Rassie Erasmus spent yesterday focused solely on the friendly cricket match between the Stormers and Cape cricket team the Cobras.

The pair would have been plotting the acquisition of a potential replacement. Someone who comes with necessary experience. No doubt feelers have already been put out to various English and French clubs to see who would be willing to relocate to the Cape at short notice.

Former Stormers hooker Schalk Brits is still enjoying a successful time with Saracens in England, but he would be an obvious target. Former Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter, a good friend of Erasmus, is back in Cape Town and might be approached for his input on potential replacements.

Richardt Strauss is playing good rugby for Leinster in Ireland and Willie Wepener is also enjoying a successful stint with French club Clermont. There are options for the Stormers but it will be costly if they want to employ an experienced hooker at such short notice.

Injuries have hit New Zealand franchises too with Crusaders skipper Richie McCaw already ruled out of the opening six weeks of the Super 15 due to a stress fracture in his right foot.