Stormers coach John Dobson’s men keep the Scarlets scoreless but lose their warrior flanker to a serious arm injury
The DHL Stormers’ emphatic 34–0 shutout of the Scarlets in Llanelli on Friday night was a victory gilded with grit but stained by heartbreak, as talismanic flanker Deon Fourie suffered a serious arm injury that will sideline him for months.
The Capetonians, who opened their three-match European tour with a commanding five-try, bonus-point win, flexed their muscles up front and shut the door in defence.
After demolishing defending champions Leinster 35-0 in their season opener in Cape Town, Dobson’s charges kept another clean sheet to bolster their United Rugby Championship (URC) title credentials.
A great win on the road and a first appearance for our Bo Kaap-inspired away jersey.
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Yet beneath the roar of celebration, there was the hush of sorrow in the change room.
“Deon’s devastated. A lot of tears in the change room. Deon was in tears,” revealed Dobson.
“It’s a serious bicep injury that will require surgery, so he’ll go home.
“It’s an emotional change room, and as much as the win is pleasing, it shows how tight this team is that they’re so upset about Deon.”
For the 39-year-old Fourie, the Stormers’ heartbeat and one of South African rugby’s toughest old campaigners, the cruel twist came just six minutes after he replaced Player of the Match, Evan Roos in the 57th minute.
Having only recently battled back from a five-month leg injury, his return to the trenches has been heartbreakingly short-lived.
The night’s bruising nature didn’t end there. Tighthead prop Sazi Sandi was also forced off in the 50th minute and faces a spell on the sidelines. It’s a blow to a front-row already stretched thin.
“Sazi will get scanned, and we’ll see where he stands,” said Dobson.
“That’s three really good tightheads in Frans [Malherbe], Neethling [Fouché], and Sazi unavailable, and I don’t think any team can cater for that in their roster.
“But luckily we’ve got a great scrum culture with guys like Zach Porthen coming through.
“We’ve also got Hencus van Wyk, Corne Welbach and Oli Kebble who can swing. So, we should be able to keep our scrum culture going.”
The Stormers now march on to Italy for clashes against Zebre and Benetton, buoyed by momentum but carrying heavy hearts.
For all their flair and ferocity, this win which was far from perfect, came with a reminder: in rugby’s brutal theatre, triumph and tragedy often tackle side by side.
Scorers:
For Scarlets:
None
Stormers:
Tries: Roos, De Villiers, Van Heerden, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Khan
Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2, Willemse
Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Pics: https://x.com/thestormers
