The Stormers are hoping a versatile member in the pack will be cleared in time for their URC-opening round fixture in Galway next week.
Springbok Ben-Jason Dixon is battling concussion symptoms and hasn’t travelled with the national team Down Under to face the Wallabies next Sunday in Perth.
But the utility forward is back with the Stormers and according to John Dobson, hopes will be cleared in time to face Connacht next Friday night at The Sportsground.
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“He is battling with delayed concussion symptoms,” the director of rugby shared during a Stormers conference on Thursday, after naming his 56-man squad for the URC and Investec Champions Cup campaigns.
“He hasn’t gone to Australia, so he is here. Hopefully, he gets cleared in time for Connacht.”
The exits of Bok locks Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden has left the Stormers light on experience in the second row, with Dobson stressing the need to maintain a “healthy roster” in the position.
He said the Stormers do not want to sign a journeyman if they can instead continue developing youngsters Connor Evans and Riley Norton as well as leaning on players such as Gary Porter.
And here, Dobson emphasised the franchise needing to deploy Dixon more at No 4, while Hacjivah Dayimani can provide cover at No 7.
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“I think it’s our best squad we’ve put up in terms of quality of player, but I don’t think it’s the best in terms of spread. Losing two Springbok locks who were in contract – we released them – is a challenge for us,” he said.
“For us to really compete in both competitions very deep, you probably need a really healthy lock roster. There wasn’t anybody that we could get in. We had the conversations with [Tomás] Lavanini that would make a difference.
“And we don’t want to get a journeyman in when you’ve got a guy like Gary, who puts in everything, or Tom Barnard, who’s a promising guy.
“So we couldn’t find a difference-maker to replace that, and we are vulnerable there. I think it can be offset by, like the Springboks did, if we train up BJ properly at four, and that changes the whole picture quite dramatically.
“Then, like the way Hacjivah’s gone in pre-season and against the All Blacks, he comes in at seven [for Dixon] … but lock’s the one flash point.”
Photo: Steve Haag/Getty Images
