Waratahs strike weapon Israel Folau no certainty to return against Stormers in Cape Town

STRIKE weapon Israel Folau remains no certainty to return for the Waratahs against the Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday.

The Waratahs may not risk Israel Folau against the Stormers. Picture: Mark Evans

HIS strikepower shapes as the key to sacking one of world rugby’s toughest fortresses but Israel Folau remains no certainty to return for the Waratahs against the Stormers in Cape Town.

Folau joined the Tahs in Durban at the weekend but after missing their loss to the Sharks with throat cartilage problems, concern about longer-term damage will see a final call on his availability delayed until after training sessions this week.

“It’s feeling pretty good. The swelling has gone down. But I think as the week goes on I will make the call as to whether I am going to play,” Folau said from South Africa.

“It is just a matter of whether you want to take the risk of coming into this game and potentially hurting it again, and ending up with a worse injury. You just have to weigh that up.”

With Kurtley Beale (neck) and Wycliff Palu (knee) also carrying niggles, coach Michael Cheika said he would wait a few extra days to name his side to give Folau time.

“The key thing will be how he goes, we’ll have a full blast today at training and just see how it goes and how it feels,” Cheika said.

“The most important thing is whether he’s conscious of it and that sort of thing. So far in any training he’s done there’s been no swelling and no recurrence.”

On Beale and Palu, Cheika said: “Cliffy is probably a little less likely but both of them are still a very good chance to play.”

Though no visiting team has won there in 16 games this year, bringing points home from Africa is a good sign of genuine title credentials and NSW’s were questioned majorly in Durban.

The Stormers appear wounded after just returning from a four-match run of losses on the road but their only win came at home in round two, and Cape Town has never been a happy hunting ground for NSW — or most visiting teams.

Defence is the bread and butter of the Stormers’ game, and after his absence was felt against the Sharks, Folau’s presence for the Tahs appears vital for them to score points at Newlands.

The ultra-physical Cape Towners boast the most miserly defence of the last five years in Super Rugby, conceding an average of just 1.3 tries and 16 points per game in their last 45 at home.

Stormers inside centre Jean de Villiers. Picture: AFP

They’ve kept 10 teams pointless and though the Waratahs have avoided the dreaded donut, they’ve only crossed twice at Newlands since 2008.

“We know they’re a very physical side in defence, so we just have to really muscle up in the middle there and set a platform, and hopefully those opportunities open up later in the game,” Folau said.

Cheika said the Waratahs’ flowing attack would be tested by the Stormers and big improvement was needed in attacking breakdown work to avoid similar problems that emerged in their 32-10 defeat to the Sharks.

“You’d imagine it’s not going to be a game where you can attack as freely as other matches probably, because of the way they do defend,” Cheika said.

“I think the key issue which restricted in Durban was our urgency to the ruck. Just in the ruck there we made it a bit too easy for the Sharks, and it stifled any flow we could get going in our attack.

“It’ll be key that our attacking ruck is resourced correctly and we present good ball for our halfback to launch the next attack with.

“I thought the defensive part of our game, and our physicality, were quite outstanding. We got stuck into a match with the leaders of the competition at their home patch.

“Unfortunately that (ruck) area and the area of penalties cost us. We know how to make sure our ruck ball is quicker. We have done it before this year.”

The Waratahs paid heavily on the scoreboard for conceding 19 penalties and a yellow card, but Cheika said he had no qualms with the combative nature his team took into the Sharks clash.

“I don’t think they were doing anything illegal. The game is about good strong tackling and good strong rucking and things like that,” Cheika said.

“We are not going to come out against the leaders of the competition and say “we’ll go nice and gentle”. You have to get into it. It was an unfortunate incident with Rob Horne, that was dealt with.

“But I thought it was a really good physical match, and my point of view, that’s absolutely normal I think.”

A decision Folau, Beale and Palu is likely on Thursday.