Western Province can just not shake the injury bug as yet another forward has gone down, and this just weeks after returning from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Rynhardt Elstadt has suffered a rib injury and will face another three weeks on the sidelines, after playing a mere three games for Western Province, and will force coach Allister Coetzee into yet another loose forward shuffle.
Coetzee lost leader Schalk Burger at the beginning of the season already, and with no return date for the captain and along with Duane Vermeulen (Springboks) and Siya Kolisi (injured for the rest of the season) also unavailable, Coetzee must be dreading team selection day week after week.
Another player who is not likely to see action again this season, Ederies Arendse has been ruled out for at least six weeks, with a shoulder injury.
Good news for Coetzee though is the return to fitness and training for Joe Pietersen and Tyrone Holmes, the latter being great timing and able to replace Elstadt as soon as this weekend against the Sharks. With Pietersen returning to training, he could also come into the frame to add to the back three of Gio Aplon and Gerhard van den Heever.
There is also a return to the training field for loose forward Tertius Daniller, who had a serious knee injury and will finally be able to take the field of play in the coming weeks. He could well take part if the current injury curse continues.
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More changes needed for WP. Frans Malerbe called up to the Boks as TH cover.
Just proves how few quality TH’s we have in SA.
@Pokkel (Comment 1) :
That’s a blow for them, he was in good form so far this season..