Rugby
Stormers cancel training camp
2009-12-19 16:54
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Cape Town - The crippling drought in the Southern Cape has taken another toll, with the Stormers cancelling their pre-season training camp in Mossel Bay in January.
The drought, which has been described by local officials as the "worst in 200 years", has left water levels in the local dam at around 20 percent with the region getting only 40 percent of its annual rainfall this year.
The Stormers have opted to rather continue their training sessions in Belville over the luxurious surroundings of the golfing estate of Pinnacle Point.
"Due to severe water shortages in the Southern Cape, the Stormers have opted to cancel their camp at Pinnacle Point during the first week of January 2010. The team will remain in Cape Town, where they will prepare for the coming season at their High Performance Centre in Bellville," a statement from the team said. "The Stormers will again assemble on January 4 to continue with preparations ahead of the 2010 Super 14 campaign."
New recruits Bryan Habana and Jaque Fourie will also join up with the squad on January 4. The duo joined the Cape franchise from the Bulls and the Lions respectively at the end of the 2009 rugby season. Other new faces include former Springbok Sevens star Fabian Juries and SA Under-20 flyhalf Lionel Cronje who have both signed for WP from the Cheetahs, and Argentinean international prop Eusebio Guinazu will be eligible for the Stormers squad after recently signing for Boland.
Four players will still be on rehabilitation programmes in January following long-term injuries. They are: Conrad Jantjes, Morgan Newman, Nick Koster and Dylan Des Fountain.