The Stormers were left to count the cost of the vital bonus-point victory over Glasgow Warriors after Scarra Ntubeni had to be helped off the field early in the second half of the match. DYLAN JACK reports.

Ntubeni only recently returned from a leg muscle injury, but after a solid first-half performance against Glasgow, was carried off minutes in the second half.

The Stormers went on to win the match 32-7 and claim a vital four-try bonus point, which should all but ensure the Cape side’s progress into the Vodacom United Rugby Championship playoffs.

However, the victory certainly came at a cost, as the Stormers are already without both Andre-Hugo Venter and Chad Solomon for now.

“Scarra has hurt his achilles. It will be checked and scanned tomorrow,” Stormers coach John Dobson said after the game. “It doesn’t look trivial, but it will have to be scanned. He is in a bit of discomfort.

“Chad and Andre-Hugo are still reasonably long term, so hooker is a flashpoint for us.”

Ntubeni’s injury leaves 21-year-old JJ Kotze as the remaining fit senior hooker in the squad, while the Stormers could also turn to Varsity Cup stars Sean Swart and Keagan Blankenburg. Rookie Lukhanyo Vokozela is another option, having recently made his debut for Western Province in the Currie Cup.

However, Dobson said it is likely that Deon Fourie would shift from openside flank, while admitting the Stormers would also have to bring in a short-term option from outside the squad.

“Deon is going to be at home throwing at a lamp pole in his garden,” Dobson said with a chuckle. “Deon is obviously who we are going to have to go with.”

Dobson added that as a positive, he felt that the win over Glasgow will take a bit of pressure off the Stormers going into the final two games against Leinster at home and Scarlets in Wales.

“I think at the start of the season if you said the Stormers would make the playoffs, considering where we were a year ago, we would have said, ‘Jeepers, that’s great’. It does take the pressure off.

“We probably need to win one of the last two to be absolute sure of getting into the Champions Cup. But Scarlets also have some big games, we have to play them. My gut feeling is that to get Champions Cup rugby, we have to win one of the last two. But it might be enough to pick up some bonus points.”

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images