Young playmaker Yaqeen Ahmed is expected to start for the Stormers against Edinburgh on Friday. The Stormers team may need to look for a loan player to fill the playmaker vacancy following Yuri Matthee's injury.
Matthee sustained an ankle injury during the Stormers' 29-15 victory over Connacht in Ireland last week. He will be unable to participate in the upcoming match against Edinburgh in Scotland on Friday evening.
The exact nature of Matthee's injury is not yet known, but he has returned to Cape Town for medical attention. Forwards Evan Roos (flanker) and Marcel Teunissen (calf) are also injured.
Twenty-year-old Yaqeen Ahmed, who debuted for the Stormers against the All Blacks in the 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry' match, is likely to start at playmaker for the Cape Town side on Friday evening, given the absence of Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse from the Springboks.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu might play for the Stormers in the South African derby against the Sharks next week at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town. However, this talented No. 10 participated in the last five 'Boks' matches and may require rest before the November Nations Cup matches.
Willemse is recovering from a ligament injury that prevented him from playing in the third match against the All Blacks, and he also missed the recent fixture against the Wallabies in Perth.
Ahmed replaced Matthee in the second half of the Connacht match and delivered an energetic performance that helped the Stormers secure the win. However, he is currently the only recognized playmaker in the squad for the round, while fullback Warrick Gelant is being considered as a backup option.
The URC squad includes veteran Jean-Luc du Plessis and newcomer Kyle Smith, but management is likely to consider bringing in a player like Pumas playmaker Clintn Swart, who played for the team on loan last season.
Swart recently played for Pumas in the Toyota Challenge match against Georgia's Black Lions in Tbilisi and is preparing to play in the final match against Lusitanos on Sunday.
Another option for the Cape Town side is Griquas veteran George Whitehead, who rested after heroic performances in the Currie Cup final. A closer option could be Boland playmaker Ashlon Davids, who could also serve as a temporary replacement.