Sport | White trolls Stormers for releasing injury list: ‘I’m surprised Carel du Plessis isn’t on it’

Bulls director of rugby Jake White. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)

Having won the inaugural URC tournament and been runners-up the next year, the Stormers have since fallen on hard times this year and are lying 10th on the table after winning just four of their 11 matches.

In what looked a little like an attempt to explain why they are in this position, the Stormers put out the equivalent of an entire starting line-up’s worth of currently injured players as mitigation for why they haven’t been able to hit their straps.

“When you have these injuries, everyone’s got them and you’ve noticed that I haven’t put out a link out about our injured players,” White started pointedly.

“It doesn’t matter; every other union is sitting in the same position. I’m surprised they didn’t put (Western Province greats) Carel du Plessis and Gert Smal on that list.

“I spoke to Gert the other day and his health is not that great… I mean (Northern Transvaal great) Naas Botha was also not available for this weekend, Frik du Preez (also Northern Transvaal legend) is 89. Maybe I should look at him, I need locks as well.”

In all fairness to the Stormers, the Sharks also sent out a medical update to the media which was almost as lengthy as the Stormers’ in recent weeks. But if there was bad blood lingering from the Bulls’ lucky 33-32 victory against the Stormers two weeks ago, White has officially lit the blue touch paper.

Discover the Truth

Step into a world where the truth shines bright, and every headline is worth your time. With News24, you’re not just reading the news; you are part of a community that values knowledge and insight. Immerse yourself in compelling stories, sharp analyses, and content that keeps you ahead of the curve.