Test debut marks great comeback
Schickerling’s amazing comeback from horror injury to Test match rugby
When JD Schickerling makes his Test debut on the Springboks’ current tour to Britain and France‚ it will complete one of the most remarkable comeback stories in rugby.
When JD Schickerling makes his Test debut on the Springboks’ current tour to Britain and France‚ it will complete one of the most remarkable comeback stories in rugby.
Four years ago Schickerling lay in a Pretoria hospital bed‚ unsure if he would walk again‚ let alone play rugby.
When he was stretchered off the Loftus Versfeld pitch after sustaining a broken neck playing for Western Province U21s against the Blue Bulls‚ everything hung in the balance.
The injury was the result of a dangerous tackle from opposite number Marvin Orie.
Orie was cited after the game and received a one-week suspension‚ but it was accepted that the incident was not intentional.
Doctors said Schickerling was 2mm from being paralysed. But they also asked if he would like to play rugby again because science and operating techniques could make it happen.
Schickerling would have been forgiven if he had decided that coming away with the ability to function normally was enough. It is testament to his courage that he chose to undergo a second operation to insert a plate in his neck that would allow him the chance to play again.
Fast forward four years and Schickerling‚ 23‚ was one of five locks named in the Bok touring squad for Tests against England‚ France‚ Scotland and Wales on Saturday. And in a strange twist of fate‚ he has replaced Orie in the Bok squad.
Schickerling is likely to have his first taste of Test rugby against England this weekend.
Insiders have suggested he will be on the bench at Twickenham‚ with Gloucester’s Franco Mostert unable to play because the match falls outside the official Test window.
Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman could start while Lood de Jager might need some more time to come back into the setup after a long injury lay-off.
Schickerling spent 16 months in rehab and made his Super Rugby debut for the Stormers in 2016 against the Bulls.
As luck would have it‚ his first touch saw him clattered head high by Bulls lock Grant Hattingh. There was an element of horrendous déjà vu as Schickerling stayed down.
There was a collective sigh around Newlands when he got up‚ but mostly from Schickerling’s mother Cornelia.
“My mom was very scared when I started taking contact again‚” Schickerling said. “When I was hit high against the Bulls‚ she told me she was very frightened and angry and that she was probably going to stay away from watching my games live.”
Perhaps Cornelia will have a better moment when her son becomes a Springbok on this tour‚ from wherever she is watching the match.