Stormers great Schalk Burger has fired a warning at his former team over their use of Damian Willemse.
With injuries to Seabelo Senatla and Suleiman Hartzenberg coupled with Dylan Maart’s departure after his loan spell, coach John Dobson has selected Willemse on the right wing in the Stormers’ last three matches.
Dobson has also clarified that Willemse – usually utilised at fullback or inside centre – had offered to help the team in that position until their wing stocks are replenished.
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But Burger believes the experiment has gone on long enough.
“We have quality players, but there’s an issue that we don’t have wingers,” Burger said on The Verdict podcast.
“I think we’ve got to get Damian either taking charge at 15 or playing at 12. And if there’s an injury concern, then maybe 15 is his place at the moment because we have to get him more involved.
“He’s a good winger; he does decent stuff on the wing, but you want your best players to touch the ball the most amount of times in a game, and at 12 or 15, that’s what happens with him. But at wing for me it’s just a waste.”
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Burger’s criticism came after the Stormers’ damaging 33-24 defeat to Connacht in Cape Town this past Saturday – a match that again raised questions around the balance of the backline.
Dobson later admitted that Willemse can’t continue playing on the wing indefinitely, while assistant coach Dawie Snyman said this week that the coaching staff are still weighing up their options ahead of Saturday’s clash against URC log-leaders the Glasgow Warriors.
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Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
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