The Stormers from Cape Town will take on the New Zealand Conference-leading Blues on Friday in Auckland without three of their key back line players.

Injuries have ruled out key Springbok trio Peter Grant (ankle), Jean de Villiers (groin) and Jaque Fourie (chest) of Friday’s Super Rugby crunch fixture.

Grant and Fourie are expected to be fit for next week’s match against the Brumbies while De Villiers is consulting a specialist to determine the severity of his injury.

Subsequently, Lionel Cronje will start at flyhalf and Juan de Jongh and young Johann Sadie will form an all-new midfield combination with Danie Poolman, who joined the squad earlier in the week, coming onto a five-two split bench.

“Sadie is an out-an-out 13 and can also cover wing, whilst Juan can play both 12 and 13,” said coach Allister Coetzee.

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The injury to Butch James might just be the opening for Peter Grant to play flyhalf for the Boks on the Grand Slam tour at the end of the year.

It was confirmed this week that a shoulder injury has proved worse than expected for veteran Bath pivot James, almost certainly keeping him out of the Bok picture for a tour in which his experience of — and suitability to — British and Irish winter conditions would have been a very handy asset indeed.

That would have been especially so because the Boks intend resting incumbent No 10 Morne Steyn, among other overworked senior personnel, for the trip.

Precocious Absa Currie Cup talents Elton Jantjies and Patrick Lambie ought to be strongly in the running for squad selection if their current sparkling form continues, but the Bok brains trust will presumably want either (or both) of them to be accompanied by a much more senior figure in the key position as well.

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After the impressive win over the Cheetahs, the Stormers were shared with the good news that they have should have an almost full strength squad for their Super 14 tour.

The Stormers have a bye this week and will leave for Perth, where they play their first match of a four week away leg, on Monday. They are second on the log at present and will not relinquish that position this week as the third placed team, the Crusaders, are also taking their bye now.

The 21-8 win over the Cheetahs was scored in adversity as flyhalf Peter Grant was ruled out during the pre-match warm-up with a slight quadriceps strain. Fortunately though the decision to sit him out was only a precautionary measure and Grant will definitely leave with the rest of the Stormers team and be ready to return to action in the Force game on Good Friday.

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