Whiteley out of action
Injured Lions skipper will miss rest of Super Rugby season
THE June series against Ireland continued to take its toll on South African Super Rugby teams with the news that Lions captain Warren Whiteley has been ruled out of action for six weeks.
Whiteley‚ who started at No 8 in the third and deciding test against the Irish in Port Elizabeth last weekend‚ has suffered a shoulder injury and will miss the remainder of the Super Rugby season.
According to the Lions‚ Whiteley sustained the AC joint injury in the third test.
But he had injured the same shoulder in the second test at Ellis Park and was in doubt for the decider in PE.
In the event, Whiteley played the entire 80 minutes as the Boks ground out a 19-13 win to take the series 2-1.
A specialist confirmed that Whiteley would not require surgery‚ which leaves him in contention to play for the Boks in the Rugby Championship‚ which starts on August 20.
Flank Jaco Kriel‚ who made his test debut in Port Elizabeth‚ will captain the Lions in the coming weeks.
His first assignment will be to lead the team against the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday in a crucial Africa 2 conference match.
Whiteley is another in a growing list of test players who will sit out Super Rugby for various reasons.
On Monday, the Stormers confirmed that Bok prop Frans Malherbe had a neck injury and would be out for two to three weeks, while Sharks fullback Willie le Roux is out of this clash against the Lions due to a one-week suspension.
Le Roux received a yellow card against Ireland when he took fullback Tiernan O’Halloran out in mid-air.
There is also doubt about whether Sharks flyhalf Pat Lambie will be fit to play after he was concussed in the first test at Newlands.
After a sickening clash with Ireland flank CJ Stander‚ which earned the loose forward a red card and a one-match suspension‚ Lambie was left unconscious and stretchered off.
He missed the second and third tests and might still not feature this weekend.
Bulls and Bok captain Adriaan Strauss will also miss the Pretoria franchise’s trip to Argentina to face the Jaguares on Saturday.
Strauss is not injured but has been left out for fatigue reasons.
Prop Trevor Nyakane and lock RG Snyman will also miss the tour, having both picked up ankle injuries playing for the Springboks and SA A respectively this month.