Nienaber reveals his plans for injured players
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has lifted the lid on the injury situation surrounding four key players in his squad – World Cup winners, Duane Vermeulen, Frans Steyn and Cobus Reinach, as well as utility back Johan Goosen.
Nienaber announced a 43-man squad at the weekend for the international season – which includes the three-Test July series against Wales, the Rugby Championship and the year-end tour, which will likely include three SA ‘A’ games.
Goosen and Reinach are both in camp with the squad in Pretoria, but Vermeulen and Steyn are not.
This resulted in a lot of ill-informed speculation about the future of the quartet – which Nienaber cleared up in his first media briefing since the weekend’s squad announcement.
The Bulls’ mercurial flyhalf, Goosen, capped 13 times since his debut a decade ago and has been on the sidelines since the 29-year-old damaged his anterior cruciate knee ligament in the win over Cardiff back in October.
Nienaber said they are looking at Goosen to ‘maybe’ cover flyhalf.
However, because they have never worked with him before, and the camp is in Pretoria he will spend the next three weeks with the Bok familiarising himself with the systems.
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“When we move on from here [Pretoria] into the Test match venues, he will remain with the Bulls and finish his rehab with his franchise,” Nienaber said.
The Bok coach said he expects the player to return to action for the Bulls in the URC, which is scheduled to get underway around September.
“If everything goes well, he could join us on the year-end tour,” said about their plans with Goosen.
Vermeulen, 35, capped 61 times, will undergo surgery this week for a knee injury he has been struggling with while playing for Irish province Ulster.
He has received clearance from Ulster to do his rehabilitation in South Africa and will first get clearance from the Irish province before he is recalled to the Bok squad.
Steyn, 34 and capped 74 times – including playing key roles for the Boks in the 2007 and 2019 World Cup victories – has been struggling with a hamstring injury since last month.
“Frans is one of our ‘PONI’ players and we will pull him into the squad during this year,” Nienaber said, adding: “We have an open conversation with him and said he must finish his rehab and ensure he is 100 percent fit and ready.”
The veteran utility was told not to rush his comeback.
Reinach, 32 and capped 21 times, sustained a shoulder injury during Montpellier’s match against Harlequins in the European Challenge Cup back in April.
He underwent surgery in South Africa and was also given permission to do his rehab in South Africa.
“Same as with Duane, he needs to get clearance from his club after the completion of his rehab and if they clear him he will return to the Bok environment,” the coach added.
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