Brüssow going under the knife again
The Cheetahs have suffered a major blow with the news that openside flank Heinrich Brüssow will undergo surgery on an injured toe which will rule him out for three months.
The Bok loose forward tore a ligament in his toe whilst playing for the Docomo Red Hurricanes in Japan and is set for an operation on Saturday which will see him miss the Cheetahs' first six Super Rugby matches this season.
This means that the 27-year-old will be available for the Bloemfontein side only in early April after they return from their overseas tour.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske told Die Burger that whilst losing Brüssow's services was a significant blow, he was confident that they had enough depth at loose forward to cover for him.
"It is a huge blow to lose Hein for the beginning of the season. He is a world-class player. Fortunately, we have depth at loose forward," he said.
Brüssow was ruled out for five months because of a shoulder injury last year, with Frans Viljoen and Boom Prinsloo proving able replacements in the No.6 jersey, whilst other back row resources available to Drotske include Lappies Labuschagne, Phillip van der Walt and exciting young player Jean Cook.
