Long-term injury rules Bulls lock Manjezi out of showdown with EP
Injury has ruled robust lock Sintu Manjezi out of the Bulls rugby team to face the EP Elephants in the opening round of the Preparation Series at Loftus on February 28.
A serious knee injury, suffered during the first half of the Currie Cup final between the Bulls and Sharks in Pretoria last month, will keep Manjezi on the sidelines.
A former EP player, Manjezi would have relished the opportunity to get to grips with his former teammates.
He played 15 games for the EP Kings in 2016/17.
News of Manjezi’s injury comes while speculation is mounting about whether Bulls coach Jake White will send out a full-strength team to face an unknown EP side.
The injury could keep Manjezi out for the next six to eight months, depending on the rehabilitation process.
“I am a bit chilled about it, but also slightly frustrated because obviously I am going to be out for a while now,” Manjezi told SA Rugbymag.
“I have cartilage damage and I did my knee a bit in the final.
“It is quite a bit of a shock as well because I injured myself in the 23rd minute and then we went in because of the thunderstorms and they strapped it up. I continued to play and wasn’t really thinking about it.
“When I came off, I was limping a bit and was thinking that it was probably a bit of bone bruising because you can sometimes get that when you jump and land in the lineouts.
“I was shocked that it was quite a lot worse than that.”
The Bulls have Ruan Nortje, Walt Steenkamp and Jan Uys as the other locks in their squad.
However, Steenkamp is also likely to miss the Preparation Series after undergoing a heart operation in January.
Earlier this season, with their place in the knockout stages of the Carling Currie Cup competition sealed, White picked a youthful squad to face the Pumas.
A host of U21 champions got their first taste of senior action for the Bulls in that game.
The Pumas won 44-14 after running up a convincing 34-7 lead by half-time.
Explaining his decision, White said: “This is a great opportunity for us to give some of our exciting youngsters a taste of senior rugby.
“These boys have done really well on the training field and have been eagerly awaiting their opportunity, and now they get to show what they are made of on the big stage.
“It’s important that they get up to speed with their senior colleagues.”
EP Elephants coach Peter de Villiers says he will listen to his gut feeling before naming his starting line-up for the clash.
He is counting down the hours until his team face SA’S double champions in their opening Preparation Series clash.
Because of Covid-19 issues, De Villiers will not have an opportunity to play a friendly game to run the rule over his charges.
Asked if he was close to naming his starting line-up, De Villiers said: “There are always places in doubt and always fear in a coach’s mind. I think I am close in my mind, but I am leaving the door open for the one incident of excitement that always arises. From now on it’s listening to my gut and seeing what is going on.”