At least three Springbok players face anxious waits for scan results after suffering injuries during the latest round of the United Rugby Championship.
Handre Pollard, Andre Esterhuizen and Deon Fourie were among those to pick up problems in a weekend that raised concerns over South Africa’s end-of-year plans.
Pollard has already had a scan on a hamstring injury, according to the Bulls, with fears that the issue could keep the fly-half out of the Springboks’ end-of-year tour.
The Sharks confirmed that three of the four players injured last weekend will return to South Africa for further medical assessments.
Esterhuizen, who recently captained the Springboks, sustained a right ankle injury and is expected to miss the November Tests. Phatu Ganyane injured his right elbow, while Jurenzo Julius suffered a right hamstring problem.
“All three players will undergo scans and consult with specialists on their return home to determine the severity of their injuries,” the Sharks said in a statement.
The Bulls also provided an update on their injured players. Fourie is expected to be sidelined for an extended period, an absence that could bring his Springbok career to an end.
Hacjivah Dayimani will miss at least one more week after suffering a head knock, while Andre-Hugo Venter has an elbow injury.
The weekend’s injury setbacks came as Stormers head coach John Dobson praised his side for dealing with a series of problems during their 52-40 win over Scarlets in the fourth round of the URC.
Dobson said injuries had disrupted the areas of the game in which the Stormers are usually strongest, particularly their set-piece play and their ability to exert pressure late in matches.
“That’s our game, the set-piece. And then minutes 60 to 80 is when the hurt is meant to be done, and then suddenly we had that taken away (due to injuries).
“It was absolutely bizarre. That’s where I give them credit, because they weren’t getting it from the guys in the coaches’ box.
“I thought actually the way we closed it, we were in ascendancy for the last 10 minutes, which was remarkable given no set-piece for a set-piece team.
“The way we defended at the end there, it was probably our best period of defence.”
The Stormers’ victory came despite the disruption caused by their injuries, with Dobson acknowledging the players’ response in the closing stages of the match.
