Kings lock career threat
Specialists differ on whether he should play
THE career of EP Kings lock Darron Nell is at the crossroads as he bids to recover from a serious neck operation that ruled him out of the Vodacom Cup this year.
Nell, who has made 56 appearances for the Kings since joining them in 2010, helped to coach the Eastern Province forwards while he was on the sidelines.
“Darron had a neck operation in November. The surgeon who did it was pretty confident he would be good to play again.
“But another specialist said he probably would not,” Kings’ high performance head James Fleming said.
“So Darron is going back to see the original guy. He has had the operation and is sort of stable. But on whether he actually plays again we will have a second opinion in a few weeks.
“Between him, the specialists and our medical people, we will decide whether he plays again.
“Sometimes it requires more than one medical opinion. One guy says go and play and the other says: ‘I would not advise it.’ You have to make a decision with all the information on the table,” Fleming said.
Nell played for the Free State Cheetahs between 2002 and 2008, mainly appearing as a flanker or No 8, before a short spell in France with Castres before moving to the Kings, playing at lock.
After a two-week break following an early exit from the Vodacom Cup, the Kings were back at training yesterday, gearing up for their Currie Cup Premier Division campaign.
While the career of Nell, 34, is uncertain, there was good news for the Kings with the return of giant lock Samora Fihlani after a serious knee injury.
“Samora hurt his knee in Currie Cup 2013. He has done really well since surgery and has trained really hard during the Vodacom Cup. He is itching to go. We have built up his strength a little and are getting the fine tuning right.
“Samora must go for a strength test. He is looking very good.
“It is nice to have an older, wiser head show the kids up in terms of work ethic. With his desire to be back on the field he has worked unbelievably hard to come back from the injury.
“Let’s hope he continues to track well,” Fleming said.
The Kings kick off their Currie Cup campaign with a tough opener against last year’s beaten finalists the Lions on August 8.
Ahead of their Currie Cup programme the Kings have lined up friendlies: July 11: v Sharks (no time decided), Port Elizabeth. July 17: v Bulls (7pm), PE. July 25: v Western Province (7pm), PE.