Lood's race to recover starts now ...
SPOTLIGHT: World Cup-winning Springbok Lodewyk de Jager’s race to recover in time for the British and Irish Lions tour has started.
The Sale Sharks and Bok lock has just had his third shoulder operation in under two years.
He posted on his Instagram social media account said surgery “went well”.
De Jager, 27, injured his shoulder while playing for the Sharks in a Premiership win over Leicester Tigers in September.
It was revealed by Sale Director of Rugby Steve Diamond that he had bent the metal pins that were in place from a prior operation.
It was initially unclear whether he would require surgery, but he now faces months out as he recovers.
Before going under the knife, De Jager acted as a line-out coach for the Green team in the Springbok trial at Newlands this past weekend.
He shared with his followers on Instagram a photo of his left shoulder in a sling, which has become an all too familiar image of his.
View this post on Instagram
Surgery went well… Now the road to recovery starts! Thanks for all the messages of support!
This rules him of South Africa’s upcoming defence of their Rugby Championship crown – if they do in fact travel to Australia.
It will leave new Bok coach Jacques Nienaber without two of his World Cup locks – with Rudolf Snyman also set for a long spell out, after rupturing his ACL in his Munster debut in August.
De Jager will also miss the beginning of the new Premiership season, which restarts in November, as well as the conclusion of this current campaign.
The South African first went under the knife for his shoulder problems in early 2019, having injured his right shoulder in the second round of Super Rugby.
He recovered in time for the World Cup, but came off in the first half of the Final against England, this time clutching his left shoulder.
Following another operation, he made his debut for Sale in March this year, shortly before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
It is the same shoulder that is proving to be the bane of his career and leaves him with another stint on the sidelines.
Though he is set to miss the beginning of 2021, the lock’s main priority will be to return to full capacity again come July when South Africa host the British and Irish Lions.
