The DHL Stormers have issued an emergency recall to Scarra Ntubeni, who retired following the Currie Cup, as a hooker crisis threatens to derail their preparations for Saturday's Vodacom United Rugby Championship encounter with Ulster at Cape Town Stadium.
The Cape franchise lost both Andre-Hugo Venter and Deon Fourie to injury during their 52-40 victory over Scarlets last Saturday, whilst JJ Kotze remains sidelined for another fortnight serving a three-week suspension for a high tackle against Bristol Bears in the Investec Champions Cup. That leaves Vernon Paulo as the only fit senior hooker, prompting head coach John Dobson to seek assistance from the 35-year-old Ntubeni, who had stepped away from professional rugby at the end of the domestic season.
Young prospect Altus Rabe has also been drafted into the training group as the Stormers scramble to cover the specialist position. Paulo has not featured since the Edinburgh defeat earlier in the campaign, a match in which the Stormers lost 11 lineouts and struggled significantly at set-piece.
Stormers skills coach Labeeb Levy confirmed the trio of Paulo, Ntubeni and Rabe had begun intensive preparation on lineout and scrum detail. "We are a team that plays within a system and it is not about the individual," Levy said during the team's media briefing. "So these guys will carry us through this time of crisis." Asked about Ntubeni's fitness after several months away from elite competition, Levy smiled and conceded "it could be better".
The Stormers face a break throughout November following the Ulster fixture, but are keen to enter that hiatus on a positive note. The sides drew when they last met in Belfast earlier this year.