Manuel Carizza

Argentinian lock Manuel Carizza looks set to make a return to Super Rugby after an injury-enforced lay-off from the game.

The towering second-row forward tore wrist ligaments early in the season when playing in the Stormers’ second game of the 2014 season.

He looked in fine nick at Monday’s training session at City Park, and Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said he’ll be considered for the run-on XV for Saturday’s derby against the table-topping Sharks in Durban.

Wing Kobus van Wyk, one of the four try-scorers against the Cheetahs last weekend, has another wrist injury and he will possibly be sidelined for three weeks.

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Just over a month ago he suffered ligament damage on the same wrist.

“Carizza is looking good and he’s in our selection plans for this week,” said Coetzee.

“It looks like he has recovered well.”

“Kobus has reinjured his wrist and he’ll probably be ready to play when Super Rugby resumes at the end of June.”

Coetzee also announced that Jean de Villiers’ Super Rugby season was over.

The Stormers captain has a knee injury which has ruled him out of the game for at least two months.

“Jean’s Super Rugby season has ended and he won’t recover by the time the season ends in mid-July,” Coetzee said.

“We’ll lose out on his leadership role but other leaders like Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen, Deon Fourie and Juan de Jongh are all capable of stepping into the breach.”

The Stormers were unable to conduct a full-scale training session on Monday as several players were attending the Springbok training camp in Durban.

Other players like prop Allistair Vermaak and Cheslin Kolbe picked up bumps and bruises in the Cheetahs game and sat out on Monday.

Burger is also an injury concern ahead of the Sharks game after he was troubled by neck spasms last weekend. He has, however, joined the national training group in Durban.

“The chances of Schalk playing against the Sharks are 50–50.”

“The affected area (in his neck) has settled nicely he is feeling much better.”

“At this stage we are preparing as if he won’t be playing but we’ll get a chance to see him when he returns from Durban and then make a call on Wednesday.”

As a result of the Bok camp, the Stormers will not have a full-scale training session this week, even though the players may be returning to Cape Town on Wednesday morning.

“Usually when the players come back from a Bok training camp we have don’t let them train flat out straight away.”

“They do need a break and then Thursday is the team’s rest day.”

“By the looks of things, we’ll only have the match-day squad working out together at the “Captain’s Run” in Durban on Friday.”

Coetzee said he expected a tough day against the Sharks.

“We are in for a very, very tough game because the Sharks are not the log-leaders for nothing.”

“This match will be one of the biggest challenges for us this year.”