The unavailability of fullback Jaco Taute for the Vodacom Super Rugby opener is just one of the many things that have given DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee reasons to be thoughtful ahead of the trip to Johannesburg on Saturday.

As the Lions were sounding a warning ahead of Ellis Park by shocking the Toyota Cheetahs 21 / 20 in Bloemfontein, a scratch Stormers team that included several youngsters who were still at school last year was on the way to a 29 / 24 defeat to the Boland Cavaliers in searing heat in Wellington.

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The result of the Boland game is the least of Coetzee’s concerns. There were no first-choice players in the side, unless you factor in Tiaan Liebenberg and Pat Cilliers, who will probably be on the bench at Ellis Park.

Coetzee was impressed with the performances of both those players, and wasn’t too fazed about the defeat as he thought the youngsters acquitted themselves well.

“We had four young players who were at school last year who played in their first first-class game and I was impressed with all of them,” said Coetzee.

“We achieved what we have set out to do. We have given all the players game-time, and we have tested our depth. I am happy with what I have seen.”

However the knee injury that ruled Taute out of the game at the 11th hour and which will prevent him from returning to his old home ground for the first time in Stormers colours is problematic.

Gio Aplon should easily fit in at fullback, but with Juan de Jongh still out, thus making it hard to consider Damian de Allende for a shift to the wing, it does leave a gap on the wing.

There is no confirmation at this stage of when Taute will be ready to play again. Coetzee says he wants to take a conservative line on Taute as the player has just returned from a long injury lay-off after undergoing a knee operation that put him out of rugby for most of last season.

Kobus van Wyk, a young graduate from John Dobson’s winning WP under-21 side from last year, is likely to fill one vacancy but with Cheslin Kolbe also on the sidelines, it is going to be interesting to see what back-three combination Coetzee comes up with.

He will be hoping that Rynhardt Elstadt comes through training later on Monday thus removing any further problems from the equation as he considers his selection for Saturday.

Elstadt injured his ribs against the Southern Kings in the second warm-up game and although medical assessments came up with nothing serious, a check will be run on Elstadt before he can be cleared to play.

Of course, since the Stormers are most favoured to push the Sharks in the race for conference honours, the Durban side’s comfortable win over the Vodacom Bulls on the opening weekend of Super Rugby means there is added pressure even before the season starts for the Cape team to get off to a winning start.