VIDEO: Dobson's solution to lock conundrum
Stormers coach John Dobson will rely on a 'like-for-like' replacement when he names his team to face English Premiership powerhouse Harlequins in a European Cup Last 16 encounter in Cape Town on Saturday.
Star lock Ruben van Heerden, who was first signed on a short-term deal and then had that changed to a permanent stay in the Mother City, has been in sublime form for his new franchise.
However, he is unavailable because he is 'cup-tied' in the Champions Cup competition.
Van Heerden played for Exeter Chiefs in league matches against the Bulls and Castres in Round One and Two back in December.
Competition rules prohibit a player from representing two different teams in the same season, unless certain exceptional criteria is met.
"We knew that when we signed him," Dobson said about the cup-tie rule that prevents Van Heerden from featuring in the Champions Cup.
"We signed him on a short-term contract, which has become long-term.
"However, he can’t play in the Champions Cup this season.
"There are exceptions - like the South African contracting cycle that ends in December and clubs in financial distress - such as [the two west Midlands-based clubs in the Premiership] Worcester Warriors and Wasps.
"However, he doesn’t fall in any of those categories."
(Article continues below John Dobson interview ...)
Dobson revealed that Van Heerden’s place in the starting line-up will most likely be taken by Ernst van Rhyn - a like-for-like replacement.
"He [Van Heerden] has been playing exceptionally," the Stormers coach said.
"However, Ernst van Rhyn is probably one of our most underrated players," Dobson said.
"They are very, very similar.
"With Gary Porter to come onto the bench - when the team is announced on Friday - it does take a bit of pressure off having to play Marvin [Orie] deep into the match, because of the line-outs.
"Ruben is brilliant, but in the context of what Ernst is going to bring, its not a big blow."
* Meanwhile Dobson is banking on a sell-out Cape Town stadium to lift his team in their face-off with the English visitors.
"It is our home and the boys have been brave and brilliant in winning 20 successive home matches in the past year," Dobson said in his weekly column on the Stormers' website.
"The URC Final [last year] was electric with over 30 000 in attendance and the semifinal was as dramatic as you will get, with us scoring with the final play of the match to tie the scores 15-all against Ulster.
"Manie [Libbok] then kicked a magnificent touchline conversion to win the game and, thanks to the Bulls knocking over Leinster in Dublin, we got to host the first-ever URC Final.
"Covid regulations then restricted us to 30 000 as a maximum crowd and 30 000 were part of Stormers' history.
"What an occasion it was.
"It will forever be special to this group of players and our supporters.
"This season, in all our planning and discussion with the players, our messaging emphasized how imperative it was that we backed up our performance of last season, maintained consistency and won enough matches to put ourselves in contention for a home play-off in the URC and also to get the maximum reward in the Champions Cup and hopefully get a home play-off.
"What a thrill to be playing at home.
"We won three of our four pool matches, including away to London Irish and because of the pool structure, our points were good enough to ensure that we would host the last 16 play-off.
"There wouldn’t be a better way to celebrate this bit of history than in front of a crowd of 50 000.
"It would mean everything to the boys and there is the added enjoyment of watching the Currie Cup side play Griquas afterwards."
@king365ed
@rugby365com