The Stormers are gearing up to strengthen their lineup significantly as they continue their four-match tour, and this is where things start to get exciting. After securing two victories on home turf, the Cape Town-based team is set to begin the away leg of their journey with a clash against the Scarlets in Llanelli on Friday evening. Following this, they will travel to Italy to take on Zebre and then Benetton, before wrapping up their demanding road trip in Ireland with a challenging game against Munster.
Coach John Dobson has already confirmed that Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse will be ready to face the Scarlets, but there's more good news for the Stormers fans. Several Springbok players are anticipated to join the squad as the tour progresses, reinforcing the team’s depth and experience.
Notably, Salmaan Moerat and Warrick Gelant are set to make their return from injury, which will be a huge boost. Meanwhile, Cobus Reinach's availability might be delayed until the fixture against Benetton, as he has taken some time off to attend to family matters. Dobson explained that reinforcements are already en route, highlighting a “platoon” of players flying to Italy to strengthen the squad.
Regarding administrative matters, a few other key players have been delayed due to visa complications. Dobson shed light on this, sharing that Clinton Swart, Oli Kebble, Adre Smith, and a physiotherapist were held up by visa processing, but have started joining the team gradually, with Adre already present as of Thursday. He clarified that the delays weren’t due to any visa problems per se, but more because these players joined the squad later than usual, requiring Schengen and UK visas, which can take time.
As for Reinach, Dobson joked about the scrumhalf’s adjustment to life in Cape Town, saying he’s still settling in after moving from Montpellier. Reinach has spent nearly the entire time since leaving France in Springbok camp, underscoring his commitment, but now he’s taking a brief personal break. Dobson assured fans that Reinach will join the tour eventually—most likely for the match against Benetton. The coach plans to check in with Reinach after the Scarlets encounter to decide whether he’ll be ready earlier or stick to that timeline.
The scenario raises an intriguing question: how much impact will these returning and late-arriving Springboks have on the Stormers' performance on this challenging tour? And here’s the part most people overlook—balancing player fatigue, recovery from injury, and team cohesion with new arrivals is a delicate art. Could these factors either make or break the Stormers’ chances on foreign soil? Share your thoughts—do you think bringing in fresh talent mid-tour disrupts or invigorates the squad?
