The DHL Stormers await news on injured lock Adre Smith, with coach John Dobson already working without several key players ahead a Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with the Emirates Lions.

The Stormers lost to Cardiff on Saturday, which ended a 15-game unbeaten run for the defending champions, with Smith injuring his toe at Cardiff Arms Park.

The Capetonians return home this week ahead of a trip to Ellis Park on Saturday, but Manie Libbok, Sacha Mngomezulu and Evan Roos will join the Springbok training camp in Stellenbosch on their arrival from Wales.

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Libbok, Mngomezulu and Roos will have a few days off before returning to Stormers training on Wednesday, but Dobson must do without Bok props Frans Malherbe and Steven Kitshoff due to national commitments.

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So, the injury setback for Smith is another selection poser and if ruled out, stand-in captain Ernst van Rhyn is likely to slot into the second row from the side of the scrum.

“Adre Smith did a turf toe, which is a blow, he was having a good game … it’s the ligaments at the bottom of your toe, so we’ll have a look at him,” said Dobson post-match on Saturday.

“[But] we’ll have to get used to winning games with teams at 70% to 80% strength rather than complaining about unavailable players. We’re rarely going to be at 100%.

“Damian Willemse, Ruhan Nel, Seabelo Senatla, Herschel Jantjies, Evan Roos and Deon Fourie were all out [on Saturday] but we still have to be good enough.

“That is why we have worked so hard to build our depth, that’s one thing we did well on tour.”

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