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Elstadt, Senatla injury blows for Stormers

Cape Town - The Stormers have fresh injury concerns following their 44-31 Super Rugby win over the Sunwolves in Singapore on Saturday. 

Flank Rynhardt Elstadt has a full syndesmosis ankle tear and will require surgery that will see him out of action for three months, while wing Seabelo Senatla has a foot injury that will see him sidelined for 4-6 weeks. 

The ball just won't get rolling for Senatla, who was making his first start of the Super Rugby season before leaving the field just after the hour mark with what was later confirmed as an extensive midfoot sprain on his left foot, including a fracture. 

It is a major blow for the 24-year-old, who has given the Stormers his full commitment for the rest of 2017 in the hope of working his way into the Springbok squad. 

Senatla had been included in a Bok training squad that will meet in Stellenbosch from April 2-4, but his involvement in that three-day camp will now be limited. 

"He actually got injured quite early in the game, but he played through it and the pace that he showed at certain occasions ... in broken play he was deadly," Stormers coach Robbie Fleck said of Senatla on Monday.

"There are still a few things that he needs to work on which we will continue to do, but he showed glimpses of what he can do.

"He's a natural talent and we're happy to have him.

"It's an untimely injury for us again. In terms of the backs, I think there are seven or eight injuries that we've got at the moment. The squad has been tested now, but it's good ... it's giving youngsters a chance."

Elsewhere, prop Wilco Louw suffered a sternum injury and lock JD Shickerling a concussion - both against the Sunwolves and both serious enough to rule those players out of this weekend's action. 

The good news for Stormers is that Cheslin Kolbe, SP Marais, Jano Vermaak and Nizaam Carr are all available for the Cheetahs. 

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