John Dobson fears Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has suffered a serious ankle injury that will keep the fly-half out of the Stormers' URC semi-final in Dublin against Leinster.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu sustained the injury in the act of scoring a try during the Stormers' 44-21 quarter-final victory over Cardiff on Saturday, subsequently leaving the field on crutches. Dobson is awaiting scan results before making a formal assessment but was frank about the outlook.
"Sacha's injury looks pretty serious to be honest," Dobson said. "It looks like a proper ankle injury. We haven't confirmed anything yet, but it's concerning."
"We've lost probably the most in-form young player in world rugby the week before a semi-final, which is far from ideal. But the way Jurie Matthee is playing and the fight in this squad gives me confidence that we'll find a way."
Matthee, who covered at ten during Feinberg-Mngomezulu's Springbok commitments this season, came on in the final quarter and slotted a conversion and penalty to close out the win.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu is not the Stormers' only injury concern heading into the last four. Lock Ruben van Heerden is expected to enter return-to-play protocols after suffering a head injury, while winger Seabelo Senatla — who collided with the advertising boards while going over for a try that was subsequently ruled out — faces a similar stand-down. Dobson confirmed Senatla was knocked out and will not feature next week. Centre Dan du Plessis also sustained a knee injury that rules him out of the semi-final.