It was good news and bad news for the Stormers yesterday. Flank Rynhardt Elstadt, as feared, will miss the remainder of the tournament after breaking his leg, but Schalk Burger is due back next week.
Elstadt sustained the injury late in the first half of the Stormers' 27-16 win over the Blues at Newlands on Saturday. In addition to suffering a mid-fibula fracture, he tore ankle ligaments and his season is over.
The bruising flank has been plagued by injuries for the past two years and the latest misfortune is another massive setback for a player who has never reached his full potential due to constant injuries.
Burger has been campaigning in Japan and will play his last game of the season for Suntory this weekend, before returning to Cape Town early next week.
In more bad news, lock Eben Etzebeth's return was delayed by a further week after he experienced pectoral muscle pain when exercising. Etzebeth sustained the injury in a pre-season match against the Cheetahs and has made a slower than anticipated recovery.
Fellow second-rower Jean Kleyn will also miss this week's clash against the Lions with a hamstring strain and Argentinian import Manual Carizza will have a final check later this week on a bad shoulder injury.
Jurie van Vuuren is set to continue at lock against the Lions in Joburg on Saturday.
"Schalk has been sitting on the bench in Japan the last few weeks because of their foreign player limitations, so he is fresh, but he will only be back here on March 3," Coetzee said.
"The Lions will provide a tough challenge this week despite their recent results."
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