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Crocked Stormers face hurting Hurricanes

Cape Town - While the Stormers face an injury crisis ahead of their final tour match against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday (kick-off at 09:35 SA time), the home side will be without a number of key personnel themselves.

According to the Stuff website, star hooker Dane Coles' torn calf muscle has still not healed.

The Hurricanes captain hasn't played since March 18 and again sat and watched while the team's forwards went through lineout moves on Monday.

Progress has been even slower for fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder.

He was due to see a specialist on Monday, but remains no closer to taking off the moon boot he's been in since fracturing bones in his foot on March 10.

In other fitness-related news, centre Matt Proctor remains sidelined with concussion symptoms, meaning Ngani Laumape and Vince Aso seem likely to start in midfield against the Stormers.

No 8 Blade Thomson is still expected to have a full shoulder reconstruction and won't be seen until next season. Lock Michael Fatialofa might play again this year, though, provided surgery to repair his dislocated knee cap goes well.

One player who'll be back a lot sooner is loosehead prop Loni Uhila. He injured a calf at the Brisbane Global Tens, then worsened that problem in the March 10 loss to the Chiefs.

Uhila scrummaged at Monday's training session for the first time since and Boyd said he would play club rugby in the next two weeks and hopefully be right to go on the Hurricanes' trip to Pretoria and Perth later this month.

The Stormers, who suffered horror defeats against the Crusaders (57-24) and Highlanders (57-14) in their first tour matches, will be without prop JC Janse van Rensburg, locks Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit and flyhalf Kurt Coleman for the Hurricanes' match.

In addition, skipper Siya Kolisi is nursing a shoulder injury, while prop Frans Malherbe will not be available for selection due to the Springbok management plan.

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