Stormers boss SLAMS pitch condition as star injured ahead of Champions Cup clash with Harlequins
Stormers boss SLAMS condition of pitch as player injured ahead of Champions Cup clash with Harlequins
Stormers director of rugby John Dobson has expressed his dismay at the condition of the Cape Town Stadium pitch on which his players played in the Stormers’ 13-8 win over the Bulls last Saturday.
Speaking to the press ahead of his side’s Investec Champions Cup match against Harlequins on Saturday, Dobson revealed that Adré Smith had been ruled out of the upcoming match due to an infected knee that he believes was caused by the condition of the pitch back in South Africa.
“Adré is not available. He sustained quite a serious injury last week on that pitch, which was a source of enormous frustration to us,” he said.
“There’s no way to beat around the bush or be polite about it; he split his knee and got an infection where the field wasn’t adequately covered with grass. The doctors put it directly down to the condition of the field.
“He’s not the only guy who sustained sort of grazes, and Adré’s also had a turf toe injury he did in Cardiff, which you do on 4G.
“He’s actually in hospital at the moment. He’s been in hospital for two days and will be for another two days. So it doesn’t make us happy at all.”
“We haven’t really seen much improvement”
The Stormers currently sit top of the Champions Cup group with two wins from two, and despite fielding a weaker team to face Harlequins on Sunday, the South African side will be confident heading into the match.
Dobson has a considerable side to choose from currently, but his concern over future injuries remain.
“It’s a really desperate situation, and I just hope that Stormers Rugby takes this up because the three elements, one of which is aesthetics, which I don’t interest myself in, and the team doesn’t,” he said.
“There’s the performance, and if we invest like we do in our scrum culture and our scrummaging, and players are scared to lift their feet because they might lose their grip and collapse the scrum, which was certainly a case in the game against the Lions.
“And most importantly, player safety, with injuries like 4G injuries, the amount of grazes and abrasions, and the infections that can happen as a result. Also, the increased risk of concussion on an unpadded field.”
“That might be being pretty direct now, but I think we’re nice about it. We haven’t really seen much improvement,” he continued.
“We certainly haven’t got a world-class field. So it’s something that I’m sure Johan [Ackermann] and Stormers Rugby will be addressing with the stadium management.”
Cape Town Stadium chief operating officer Louw Visagie claimed last month that it was fit for purpose and met World Rugby standards, but Dobson clearly disagrees.
Stormers injury list
Smith isn’t the only Stormers player out injured at the moment; in fact, prop forward Ali Vermaak is also set for a stretch on the sidelines.
“He’s ruptured his Achilles, which is a serious injury,” explained Dobson.
“For a rugby player, it’s serious. Whether you’re a prop or a winger, it’s a really disappointing injury, because you know how popular and effective Ali was.”
Ruan Ackermann is suffering from an injury of his own.
“Ruan has got a bulging disc in his neck. Came up during the game where I thought he was exceptional, especially on defence,” Dobson added.
“Louw Nel’s just had the same injury. They can be three months, they can be a bit longer. They’re still not a really finite injury, as soon as the bulge reduces, but Louw Nel managed to make it back, I think, in nine weeks. So that would be the best-case scenario for us, because Ruan’s worse, but I suspect it’s a good few months.”