Yaqeen Ahmed to start against Edinburgh as Stormers may look at loan signing to fill flyhalf void

The Stormers may have to go shopping to secure a back-up flyhalf on loan following an injury to Jurie Matthee.

Matthee hurt his ankle in last week’s 29-15 United Rugby Championship opening victory against Connacht in Ireland and will miss Friday night’s fixture against Edinburgh in Scotland.

The extent of the injury is unclear, but Matthee has travelled back to Cape Town to receive treatment, alongside loose forwards Evan Roos (hamstring) and Marcel Theunissen (calf).

Twenty-year-old Yaqeen Ahmed, who made his Stormers debut against the All Blacks in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry opener, is likely to start at flyhalf for the Cape side on Friday night in the absence of Springboks Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu could feature for the Stormers in next week’s South African derby against the Sharks at DHL Stadium in Cape Town. The hot-shot No 10 played in the Boks’ last five matches, however, and may be due a rest ahead of the Nations Cup fixtures in November.

Willemse is recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the third Test against the All Blacks. He also missed last weekend’s clash against the Wallabies in Perth.

Ahmed replaced Matthee in the second half against Connacht and produced a spirited cameo that helped the Stormers get over the line. However, he is currently the only recognised fly-half in the touring squad, with full-back Warrick Gelant viewed as an emergency option.

Veteran Jean-Luc du Plessis and rookie Kyle Smith are listed in the Stormers’ URC squad, but the management looks likely to bring in someone like Pumas flyhalf Clinton Swart, who spent time on loan with the Cape side last season.

Swart recently featured for the Pumas in a Toyota Challenge match against Georgia’s Black Lion in Tbilisi, and is set to play in their final match against Lusitanos on Sunday.

Another option for the Cape side is Griquas veteran George Whitehead, who has been enjoying some time off following his heroics in the Currie Cup final. Closer to home, Boland flyhalf Ashlon Davids could also do a stand-in job.