Former Lions lock Coetzer joins the Stormers

 The Stormers have recruited another Lions player as lock Marius Coetzer has joined up with the Cape Town franchise who wanted to replenish their ailing player stocks.

Several Lions players have made their way to the Stormers and Sharks franchises in recent weeks, with a spate of injuries forcing the coastal sides to look beyond their provinces for replacements.

“Fortunately a player like Marius Coetzer, who has played over 100 first-class games and a number of Super Rugby games for the Lions, was available,” Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said on Wednesday.

“He’s been selected for the SA President’s XV, who were training in Cape Town, and I was able to draft him.”

Coetzer, 29, turned out for the Lions in last year’s Super Rugby series, and represents the Pumas in lower tier competitions.

The Pretoria-born Coetzer is no stranger to Western Province rugby circles, after playing for the Western Cape union in the 2006 and 2007 VC competitions.

The Stormers have struggled in this season’s Super Rugby campaign, and are sitting in second place in the SA conference standings, six points ahead of log-bottom rookies the Southern Kings, ahead of their match against the Reds at Newlands on Saturday.