FRANS BLOW FOR SPRINGBOK TEAM
SPRINGBOK prop Frans Malherbe is likely to miss the 2017 Rugby Championship campaign because of a neck injury.
Malherbe (pictured) underwent scans yesterday in Port Elizabeth to determine the cause of his neck pain, which started last week, and it was confirmed that the Stormers tighthead would need “extended rest” to recover from the injury.
“Frans consulted a neurosurgeon in PE, who suggested extended rest for the player, with follow-up scans to be done in two weeks’ time,” Bok team doctor Konrad von Hagen said.
Lions prop Ruan Dreyer who made his Bok debut against France in June, will replace Malherbe in the Bok squad.
There are also concerns about Lions scrumhalf Ross Cronjé’s availability for Saturday’s Rugby Championship match against Argentina.
Von Hagen explained that Cronjé was struggling with an injury picked up in the Super Rugby final, and said that he would be monitored this week before they make a decision on his availability. “Cronjé didn’t train last week due to sternoclavicular joint (discomfort) and first-rib joint that he sustained in the final.”
In more positive news for the Boks, Von Hagen confirmed that Lions loose forward Jaco Kriel, who struggled with flu last week, is back at training, while Lions hooker Malcolm Marx has recovered from a bruised shoulder.
“Kriel is back to full training and Marx had a contusion to his rotator cuff (also sustained in the final) and he’s also back to full training.”
Von Hagen also confirmed that Handré Pollard, who took full part in yesterday’s training session, would continue to be monitored while training with the squad, and he also said that although the Bulls flyhalf’s progress has been good, he is not in contention for this weekend as he has not completed his rehabilitation programme as yet.
“Pollard took part in full training sessions on Thursday and Friday, and we’ll continue to let him training with the squad and that way work on his fitness and complete his final phase of rehabilitation.”
Meanwhile, the Bok doctor confirmed that regular skipper Warren Whiteley successfully underwent surgery and that his initial prognosis of six weeks on the sidelines still applies.
“Warren underwent surgery on
Friday and they found a tear in his abdominal muscle where is inserts into the pelvis, and that was repaired. He will now continue with his physiotherapy and rehab.”
And although the Boks will be without their inspirational captain for the near future, assistant coach Johan van
Graan said that although it’s tough to replace Whiteley, he has been impressed by the work of their current loose trio crops. OUT: A neck injury has sidelined Frans Malherbe ahead of the Rugby Championships, with Lions prop Ruan Dreyer set to fill his boots.