Springbok captain John Smit has been ruled out of the year-end tour following neck surgery.
Smit underwent a successful operation to repair a chronic cervical disc in Durban on Wednesday morning. Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts said the procedure was carried out to ensure that the disc did not get progressively worse.
It will also ensure John’s availability for the Springboks and the Sharks for the 2011 season. Confirming the success of the procedure, Roberts said: “The timing was right for John to undergo surgery as he will now have a prolonged period of recovery in advance of the new season.
Smit, who has been on the Springbok conditioning programme, will be sidelined for three months and is therefore not available for the Springbok tour to Europe in November and December.
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So.. who will be captain for the tour to the UK?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) :
Dewald Potgieter
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) : my money is on hot-n-spicy chilliboy…
@VanWilder (Comment 3) :
Sjoe – how is that for exact timing! 16:03:22
@Pink Ice (Comment 2) :
How sure are you that he wil make the team? I don’t think he will be a first choice flank!
@VanWilder (Comment 3) :
And keep Bismarck on the bench?!
@Pink Ice (Comment 4) : but still your post was before mine… is it because your a woman?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 6) : hey, i never said he was my choice… i`m trying to think like Pdiv. There has been alot said recaintly about transformation. He will be under pressure come EOYT. (Disclaimer: i did not bring up transformation as to provoke any comments from it, its a reality as said in the papers in the newspapers)
Imo, Bismarck for hooker and schalk for captain – he did a nifty job with the stormers…
@VanWilder (Comment 8) : geez, i said “in the papers” twice… my bad…
@VanWilder (Comment 8) :
My opinion.. Juan Smith would make one heluva Captain and is a dead certainty in his position.
@VanWilder (Comment 8) : You think your disclaimer will work with Rob?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 10) : That would be good.
“It will also ensure John’s availability for the Springboks and the Sharks for the 2011 season”
So does this mean he will not be going to the Lions. Or maybe the move is just not offical yet.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 10) : I Agree. I think he get’s alot of respect from the other players and will do well as captain.
@VanWilder (Comment 7) :
Nope…just a tad faster…milliseconds count!
@Farlington (Comment 13) :
Good point..
@Farlington (Comment 13) :
i was also wondering about that . but it was the springbok team doc so we cant read anything into who made the statement
College Rovers leading vs Pukke at half time
28 – 14
@VanWilder (Comment 3) : You could be right there. I thought that myself. BUT think the captaincy should be given to Juan Smith. Think it will be seeing that Matfield probably wont make the eoyt either.
@Pokkel (Comment 11) : oh, how i do hope so…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 10) : juan should also be a good choice, it all just depends on who he tags along to europe. but judging on the ovation juan got when substituted at soccer city, he should be a popular option.
@Pink Ice (Comment 15) : well, in that case, congrats. early bird catches the worm. (but nobody mentions that the worm also got up early…)
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 18) : i`m torn between the pukke (as i`m from potch) and the rovers (for obvious reasons…)
GO COLLEGE PUKKE!!!
@Puma (Comment 19) : as i said to “Sir” Ferguson, it all depends on who goes on the tour. Juan, as he is in need of gametime, should be there…
JS should be well rested to start his career with the Lions then!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 18) : ROVERS!! where can we get live updates?
@Original Pierre (Comment 23) : Since when was that confirmed?
@Original Pierre (Comment 23) : jy krap waar dit nie jeuk nie…
IMO, I dont want JS back as captain at the Sharks, actually not even as a player, it’s time for new blood to take the reigns. I say this with the utmost respect for John, it’s nothing personal.
@Jarson (Comment 27) : Ditto… The problem is I feel so guilty saying it. I do respect the guy and what he has achieved but I’m not convinced that he can contribute that much more to Sharks Rugby… well not more then anyone else we currently have.
But ja it just does not feel right saying it.
For a minute there I was worried that John had gone all feminine on us.
In anatomy, ‘cervical’ is an adjective that has two meanings:
1.of or pertaining to any neck.
2.of or pertaining to the female cervix: i.e., the neck of the uterus.
@KSA Pink Shark © (Comment 29) : It worried me too
@Farlington (Comment 13) :
My Question as well.
@war1 (Comment 30) :
I thought it was my dutch letting me down and had to check the dictionary.
@KSA Pink Shark © (Comment 31) : I think we can safely assume he has not signed for either team yet. Whether this is a good or bad thing I don’t see Smittie leaving Durbs
Well, the Boks needs a new captain that can stick around for quite some time. No point then in thinking about Victor (probably won’t do the EOYT), juan smith, schalk, or any of the more senior (older) players.
Don’t rate him as a player THAT much, but I like dewald potgieter’s captaincy.
Are there any other youngsters up for the job??
Btw, how about alistair hargreaves for sharks captai replacing oupa stefan?
@Crock (Comment 34) : That is a huge question for the Boks. I totally agree with Hargs being Sharks captain.
Stick around John: we can still secure that missing Suiper title.
@Farlington (Comment 28) : My Grandaddy used to say: ‘If you can think it, u might aswell say it’.
@Crock (Comment 34) :
Did you see how Keegan spoke to the pack on Saturday? Even Hargs bent over and listened. Think Keegan is up for the job as Sharks captain?
@Big Fish (Comment 36) :
Hugh Bladen would be in the running
“suiper title” ??
Rovers beat pukke to go to the club final!!!
@war1 (Comment 24) : Rovers won ,updates on sport 24
@JustPlainSHARK (Comment 38) : I think he is, but that would rule out loose trio rotation which is a must when deysel returns
@ruggabugga (Comment 41) : that was quite a win as well, up against maties in the final
@justplainshark, good point.this could become quite interesting.
Wonder who Plum has in mind?
@war1 (Comment 42) : can Keegan be guaranteed a start every week for the Sharks in the Super 15? Not a chance.
Then again, can anyone?
@robdylan (Comment 45) : how about a squad captain and match captain depending on who is playing?
@war1 (Comment 46) : ok… that thought actually did occur to me to… but I couldn’t put names to either position!
Sharks still have the same problem. They don’t have a captaincy candidate who is a guaranteed starter.
@robdylan (Comment 47) : Who other than Hargo & Oupa have had captaincy experience?
@lostfish (Comment 48) : keegs, botes, deysel, alberts
@war1 (Comment 49) : and Pat C
@robdylan (Comment 50) : oh yeah, him too
@war1 (Comment 51) : the forgotten man of Sharks rugby? He gets written off a lot, does Patric.
Remember when he burst onto the scene back in 2006? Jeepers, he was only 19
@robdylan (Comment 52) : Plum said this guy has Springbok written all over him, it’s amazing what injuries can do. Hope he continues his form and lives up to his potential.
@war1 (Comment 53) : his problem is, he’s not that much younger than Beast and has a long way to go to get ahead of him in even the Sharks pecking order.
Plum has huge concerns about Pat’s scrumming. Let’s hope this weekend’s performance will go some way to alleviating those.
Why do you think Hargreaves can’t make the team week in and week out? Who do we have that’s really pushing for his position?
You don’t need to be the best player in your position in order to get the nod each week, just the best captain.
Francois Pienaar and John Smit showed us this…
So why shouldn’t Plum give a vote of confidence to Hargs and make him captain?
That being said, what about the Boks?
Its a tough one, and this is where coaches and selectors should Id a real leader from a young age, and manage them correctly.
Not saying JS were not the best at the time of his selection (he was), but later on better players (Bismarck) emerged, but JS is still an exceptional leader.
I agree with you Crock!
Hargreaves led every junior team we have, and I can’t see him sitting on the bench too often.
Juan Smith over Schalk Burger any day – maybe even Jean De Villiers for captain?
Don’t think Hargreaves is quite ready to captain the side yet?, just give him some game time coz he’s barely played a few minutes!
Not sure about Chilliboy. Maybe give him a shot in one of the matches and rest Bismark for that one.