VIDEO: Dobbo gives Rassie a Kitshoff update

SPOTLIGHT: Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson confirmed that Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff will return to the playing field soon.

Kitshoff has been out of action since April after suffering a knee injury while playing for Ulster in a Challenge Cup quarterfinal defeat to French side Clermont.

That injury kept him out of the two-Test series against Ireland this month as well as this Saturday’s clash against Portugal in Bloemfontein.

However, he is on course to be ready for the upcoming Rugby Championship.

The Springboks will kick off their campaign with two Tests against the Wallabies in Australia.

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“He will be ready in two or three weeks. I don’t think it will be in the blue and white jersey,” Dobson told reporters on Friday ahead of WP’s Currie Cup clash against the Griffons in Welkom on Sunday.

“Early August is his return to play and I presume he will go straight into the national team.

“He trained with us properly yesterday [Thursday].

“That is good for South African rugby and probably for us in the long term.”

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Meanwhile, Dobson confirmed that he will be without flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis (glute) and lock Connor Evans (syndesmosis) for a “couple of months”.

Dobson was also asked if lock JD Schickerling will be making an appearance for the WP side soon.

The 28-year-old returned to Cape Town after spending three seasons playing in Japan.

“The URC guys start coming in on Monday, so he will fall into that,” Dobson explained.

“Rather than organising a friendly against the [SWD] Eagles for example, we will use them [URC players] in a Currie Cup game.

“JD will play a game, but he will not be a regular campaigner. it will just be about getting ready for a URC game.”

Dobson added: “The URC guys will all play one Currie Cup game to sort of get ready for the opening [URC] game on September 21 [against the Bulls].

“JD is in that cotton wool category.”

@rugby365com