Dobson on Stormers' stocks: 'We must find another five lock'

Marvin Orie or bust ... that has been the Stormers’ near-routine predicament during the United Rugby Championship to this point, and warning signs are flashing.

"You know, at five, every week the medical guys send me a red flag around Marvin, the amount he has to play," head coach John Dobson admitted in a multipronged interview this week with Sport24, only days after their success in winning the URC’s SA Shield and finishing second overall after ordinary season.

"I am having to field Marvin for just about 80 minutes of every game, week in and week out."

The franchise acquired the 29-year-old Orie from the Lions early last year and the seven-cap Springbok very quickly became their middle-of-lineout general, especially as several equivalent players in the Capetonian fold headed to the exit door for varying reasons.

In the space of a few months, for example, they gave up prize international utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit - as comfortable at five as he has become as a deadly international blindside flanker - to Toyota Verblitz in Japan, and similarly bade reluctant goodbyes to the 2.06m David Meihuizen and 2.03m JD Schickerling.

Meihuizen, who had once seemed on course to qualify as a Scottish Test player, was forced into cruel, early retirement at just 24 by concussion-related issues.

Meanwhile Schickerling, his own progress occasionally curtailed by major injury disruptions, left for the slightly less abrasive climes of Japan (Kobe Steelers) toward the end of last year.

Dobson is all too aware that the Stormers’ remaining lock resources are a little lopsidedly geared more toward the No 4 "front" role.

"Both Adre Smith and Salmaan Moerat are very much four-style guys. Ernst van Rhyn covers that position and BJ (Ben-Jason