‘No Whiteley comeback’

Rudolph Jacobs

Lions Super Rugby head coach Cash van Rooyen has thrown cold water over any suggestions that former Springbok skipper Warren Whiteley (above) might soon come out of retirement.

The 32-year-old Whiteley has had a long history of knee injuries which first saw him ruled out prior to the second Test against France in 2017, when he was captain of the Boks.

Struggling with recurring niggles, he announced in January that he would take the year off to focus on coaching.

“As far as I know there’s no further news on Warren and once all the (lockdown) regulations have been lifted he will go to Cape Town to see another specialist,” Van Rooyen said this week.

“So currently as I see it, he is a key member of our coaching team as line-out coach and he has a role there which he will have to fulfil.”

Van Rooyen, meanwhile, said every possible measure was being taken to ensure the Lions were battle-ready when given the green light to return to the field, with the squad hoping to resume full training on Monday.

“During the past week, with our intensive testing of the players, we were rather focused on what we are allowed to do and what not, so we have been busy with medical screening at the doctors,” he said.

The Lions coach said it had been an eventful week, with the players being put under the radar after emerging from a lengthy lockdown period due to the Covid-19 pandemic, during which their training programmes had been restricted.

“They are also busy with power and conditioning tests in order for us to determine what level they are at,” Van Rooyen said.

It had been a taxing time for all players and coaches, Van Rooyen admitted, but the mood in the squad was starting to lift with the prospect of game time in the foreseeable future.