Juan De Jongh may start in the No 12 jersey for the Stormers in their warm-up match against Argentina’s Jaguares this weekend.
De Jongh and fullback Cheslin Kolbe are back at training with the Stormers after completing their duties for the Springbok Sevens side in the Sevens World Series. They join stalwarts Schalk Burger and Eben Etzebeth, who linked up with the team last week after returning from their obligations in Japan, along with Damian de Allende, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury.
There may have been some thought to rest De Jongh and Kolbe this weekend after they featured for the Blitzboks in the Wellington and Sydney legs of the Sevens series the last two weeks. But Stormers coach Robbie Fleck could be forced to give them some sort of run out at Newlands on Saturday (kickoff 4pm), because the match is essentially the team’s last proper hit out before they open their Super Rugby campaign against the Bulls at Newlands at the end of this month.
Inside centre is probably Fleck’s biggest headache at the moment after De Allende sustained his injury in Japan and Jaco Taute was ruled out of action for at least five months, after he hurt his ankle in a warm-up match against the SWD Eagles last month. Outside centre Johnny Kotze is also fighting his way back to full fitness.
De Jongh has featured in the No 12 jersey on many occasions for the Stormers in the past, most memorably in 2010 when he scored an absolute peach of a try in their semi-final win against the Waratahs at Newlands.
The other options are Huw Jones and the young Daniel du Plessis, who is the son of Western Province legend, Michael, and the nephew of the “Prince of Wings”, Carel. Jones prefers the No 13 shirt but showed a few good touches when he played inside centre for WP in last year’s Currie Cup. Du Plessis is considered a special talent but with the Stormers backline already lacking a bit of experience, he may have to wait his turn.
At No 12, De Jongh will be closer to the action and will get his hands on the ball a lot more. His passing game has also improved a lot over the last few months after his stint with the Sevens team. And, contrary to popular belief, he has always been a good defender.
But, while De Jongh’s return is like a Panado for Fleck’s midfield headache, the Stormers coach is also elated about what the Springbok centre – and Kolbe – can bring to the party off the field ahead of the start of the tournament.
“It is fantastic to have world- class players such as these back in the mix, as they give the rest of the squad a real lift,” Fleck said.
“The rest of the players have put in an incredible amount of work in the off-season, and now the focus is on getting the returning players up to speed on our plans as soon as possible,” he said. - Cape Times