Watson to miss Stormers training camp

Stormers captain Luke Watson is set to miss his team's five-day training camp that gets under way in George on Saturday.

"Luke is having trouble from a little bone in his ankle and will have it removed on Monday. He'll be out for two weeks," Stormers coach Kobus van der Merwe said on Thursday.

Watson is therefore in no danger of missing the Stormers' first warm-up game against the Blue Bulls in Pretoria on January 13. The Stormers play a second warm-up match against Boland in Wellington on January 20.

Van der Merwe will also have Schalk Burger available for selection from the first game against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on February 3.

"Schalk has already taken semi-contact. His fitness looks very good," Van der Merwe said of the tireless loose forward, who was sorely missed by the Springboks after he sustained a serious neck injury in the second test against Scotland in Port Elizabeth earlier this year.

Van der Merwe will also not replace assistant coach Gary Gold, who took up the option of taking over as coach of the Western Province Vodacom and under-21 teams.

"Jerome Paarwater will take the forwards by himself. He has done very good work. It (having only one forwards coach) makes the communication much easier," said Van der Merwe.