Prop drop: Dobbo sends SOS in midst of a front-row injury crisis in Cape
Prop Lizo Gqoboka’s injury took some of the shine off the Stormers’ kwaai win at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, with head coach John Dobson now in “crisis” mode and scrambling for replacements.
Having only just made his comeback from five months on the sidelines with an arm injury, Gqoboka lasted just a paar minute off the bench in the Kapenaars’ 43-21 bonus-point victory over Edinburgh.
A hattrick of tries by Suleiman Hartzenberg and two apiece from Leolin Zas and Evan Roos helped down the Scots and move the Stormers up to fifth on the United Rugby Championship log after 12 rounds in the competition.
But, Dobson revealed after the match that Gqoboka hurt his ankle, which is bad enough to keep him out of this coming Saturday’s match versus Ulster innie Kaap, and the Champions Cup last 16 tie against defending champions La Rochelle.
The Stormers are already without Sti Sithole (injured in training this week), Kwenzo Blose and Leon Lyons for the next few weeks, while Ali Vermaak is out for the season.
Dobbo says: “This is now a crisis, to be honest. Lizo rolled his ankle. With the scrumming pressure, rolling an ankle is quite significant. So that’s Lizo, Sti, Ali, Leon and Kwenzo, five looseheads out now.
“We are down to Brokkie [veteran Brok Harris]. He had to play around 75 minutes [on Saturday].
“We are going to have to get somebody in, or else we won’t be compliant for next week.
“We are in trouble, and that’s the truth. It will be someone in South Africa [but] we can’t even borrow from the Cheetahs, because they have already fulfilled their loan quota.
“We have to get somebody in by [today].”
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