Stormers update explains why Salmaan Moerat is Springboks tour doubt

It has been recorded as a “small procedure”, but there is no guaranteed that Stormers captain and sometimes Springboks skipper Salmaan Moerat will play again this year. Stormers attack coach Dawie Snyman dropped the injury bombshell on the media on Wednesday, revealing that Moerat could miss the November internationals.

It will be another drain on the Springboks’ already depleted second row resources. “Salmaan isn’t available for this week or next week’s game (against Glasgow Warriors),” Snyman said in the build-up to this week’s round five United Rugby Championship face-off against Munster.

Snyman did not clarify if Moerat will be available for South Africa’s year-end tour – which will see them play Scotland, England and Wales. “He had a small procedure,” the assistant coach said, adding: “He’s got a small injury.”

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It is the latest in a series of injury setbacks that are threatening the talented lock’s progress. Having captained his country at every level, the 26-year-old Moerat has been earmarked as a “long-term project” by Bok coach Rassie Erasmus.

However, in the last two years, he suffered a serious knee ligament injury, a torn chest muscle and several concussion-enforced lay-offs. It appears that Moerat will most likely only be back for the coastal derby against the Sharks in Durban on November 30.

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With locks Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert also set to miss the November Tests, the return to fitness of Rudolf Snyman and Jean Kleyn could not have come at a better time.

Meanwhile, Snyman said he is confident the Stormers can turn around their poor start to the season when they face Munster and Glasgow in the next fortnight – games played in Cape Town and Stellenbosch respectively.

“They have world-class players in a lot of positions with a good set piece, good running game and good defence,” Snyman said of Munster, a team that beat the Stormers in the 2023 URC final in Cape Town. “They are a very efficient side,” Snyman added. “It is a tough team to break down. We came close last year at Thomond Park when they had all their internationals and we were missing some Springboks.

“Every time we played against them, we learnt a bit and I think they have ideas on how to break us down, but it’s going to be a nice challenge and you want to be part of those big games. You want to be challenged by a big team like Munster.”