VIDEO: Stormers star's season could be over

The maxim says: 'Adding insult to injury'. For the Stormers, it was more a case of adding injury to insult.

The price they paid for their heroics against two-time defending European Cup champions Stade Rochelais has been costly.

Two key players suffered knee injuries and three others suffered concussion.

The French giants fought back from 0-13 down at half-time to defeat the Stormers 22-21 in an extraordinary Champions Cup Round of 16 match.

In their pool stage encounter in December, the South African team defeated Stade Rochelais on the same ground by a score of 21-20 - with flyhalf Manie Libbok slotting a clutch conversion for the winner.

On Saturday in their Round of 16 face-off the Stormers nearly produced the same outcome - only this time Libbok's last-minute conversion - which would have given his side another heroic win - drifted well wide of the uprights in a strong and swirling wind.

It saw Stade Rochelais advance to the quarterfinal, as they continue their search for a third straight title.

For the Stormers, there was some concerning news.

Utility forward Deon Fourie suffered a "serious" knee injury.

He was taken from the field on a mobile stretcher in the 39th minute - with his replacement, Marcel Theunissen, yellow-carded in the 59th minute.

Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said it is not the more serious anterior cruciate ligament injury, but confirmed to @rugby365com that it is "serious".

(WATCH as Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson gives the kind of injury update no team wants....)

"It could be the [end of his] season," the Stormers boss added.

Wing Leolin Zas also has a 'reasonably serious' knee injury, but still has to go for a scan.

Speaking about the three concussion cases - utility forward Ben-Jason Dixon, lock and captain Salmaan Moerat, as well as replacement loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani - Dobson said they will follow protocol.

Given this usually results in a two-week lay-off, all three are in doubt for the United Rugby Championship Round 14 outing against Ospreys in Cape Town in a fortnight.

The Stormers - fifth on a congested table, with just five points between the Cape Town franchise and the Lions in 11th place - Ospreys and Leinster in the next two rounds.

Then they hit the road - facing the Dragons and Connacht away - before hosting the Lions in a potentially decisive final round of league action.

@king365ed

@rugby365com

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