Flu gives Stormers a case of the Blues

Stormers coach Robbie Fleck has named a team to face the Blues at Newlands on Saturday‚ but the one that runs out could be vastly different from the one he revealed on Thursday.

Under competition regulations Fleck had to name a team 48 hours before kick-off‚ but he acknowledged that he has no way of knowing for sure who will play due to a flu epidemic sweeping through the squad.

Six players – centre Damian de Allende‚ props JC Janse van Rensburg and Carlu Sadie and flanks Kobus van Dyk‚ Cobus Wiese and Sikhumbuzo Notshe – are doubtful starters.

“These six players didn’t train again today‚” Fleck said.

“You can expect things to change for the game on Saturday because we can’t take any chances with the players’ health.

“Four of those players are on bench with only Damian in the starting lineup. We selected the team on the basis of who was fit for training today (Thursday) and we do have guys on standby.

“Dan Kriel trained at centre instead of Damian de Allende today and if the latter doesn’t pass his fitness test then Dan will start on Saturday.

“Likewise we have prop Neethling Fouche and flank Jaco Coetzee on standby. We have tried to keep the team as close as possible to the one that played against the Highlanders last week.

“Tomorrow (Friday) afternoon will probably be the cut-off to see who can make it. It’s a hectic strain of flu that the squad has contracted.

"Paul Feeney (skills coach)‚ Paul Treu (attack and defence coach)‚ our own doctor‚ the team manager and the president (who was on tour with the Stormers) are all down.

“It’s a unique situation and certainly the first time I’ve been involved in something as bad as this in over 20 years in the professional game. We can do little about it.

“We can’t get too worried about it because it’s about player safety. The medical advice we have received is that it’s dangerous for the players so we have to take that into account.”

Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ who missed last week’s 33-15 loss in Dunedin due to the virus‚ will pack down at flank this weekend in one significant change to the team.

In the backline Dillyn Leyds moves to fullback in place of the injured SP Marais and JJ Engelbrecht starts on the wing‚ with Craig Barry providing cover on the bench.

Barry will make his Stormers debut if he comes on.

Stormers:

15 Dillyn Leyds‚ 14 JJ Engelbrecht‚ 13 EW Viljoen‚ 12 Damian De Allende‚ 11 Raymond Rhule‚ 10 Damian Willemse‚ 9 Dewaldt Duvenage‚ 8 Nizaam Carr‚ 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ 6 Siya Kolisi (captain)‚ 5 Chris van Zyl‚ 4 Jan de Klerk‚ 3 Wilco Louw‚ 2 Ramone Samuels‚ 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements:

16 Dean Muir‚ 17 JC Janse van Rensburg‚ 18 Carlu Sadie‚ 19 Salmaan Moerat‚ 20 Cobus Wiese‚ 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe‚ 22 Justin Phillips‚ 23 Craig Barry