Kobus van Wyk

DHL Stormers are still waiting on the fitness of wing Kobus van Wyk ahead of Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby derby against the Bulls at Loftus and the result of his fitness test on Thursday could have a big impact on the Cape team’s chances of success.

Van Wyk, who has struggled with a calf strain for nearly 2 weeks and is according to backline coach Robbie Fleck only training under supervision, meanly separate from the rest of the team, is key to the Stormers’ back 3 balance.

The former South African Under 20 centre was a revelation when switched to the wing by the Stormers and WP last season, and he made a big difference to the Stormers’ ability to compete in the aerial battle in 2014. That has long been a Cape team weakness, with too many players short of beef lining up together in the back 3 since the departure of Sireli Naqelevuki a few seasons ago.

Van Wyk made some great takes off cross kicks last year and also knocked on a few in the Currie Cup that had great scoring potential written all over them, and this added a new weapon to the Stormers / WP attacking arsenal.

Should Van Wyk not make it, head coach Allister Coetzee has the option of moving young Huw Jones to the wing. Jones made his Stormers debut against the Cheetahs in a warmup game a few weeks ago, but as a centre. The other option is EW Viljoen, who has fullback experience and made his first class debut for the understrength WP team that did so well against the Sharks before finally going down in the final league match in the 2014 Currie Cup.

Both are fairly strongly built but neither boast much experience at senior level and with Dillyn Leyds, yet to play a Super Rugby game for the Stormers, lining up on the other wing, that will leave the Stormers considerably short on experience in a crucial area against a Bulls team that boasts a strong kicking and aerial game.

The diminutive Cheslin Kolbe is an attacking dynamo from the back and is capable of shredding any defence and scoring from almost anywhere in broken play but the Stormers will be hoping that they can field the relatively experienced big man in Van Wyk at Loftus to add much needed balance.

Damian de Allende was used on the wing in the first game of last season against the Lions and has featured there regularly in the past but Coetzee is reluctant to move him from the midfield, where he feels the Milnerton High School old boy will play a crucial role in stopping the big Bulls forwards from playing off Handré Pollard and Jan Serfontein and flooding through that channel.

Possible Stormers starting team for Loftus: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (Captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

SuperSport