Dippenaar blow for BlitzBokke
South Africa were dealt a considerable blow when utility player Stephan Dippenaar was ruled out of action for up to 12 weeks, after he suffered a torn hamstring at the Gold Coast Sevens in Australia last week.
The midfielder will not be fit for the next two rounds of the IRB Sevens World Series in December – in Dubai and Port Elizabeth.
The BlitzBokke will break until October 27, when they reassemble in Stellenbosch.
The Dubai Sevens takes place on December 5 and 6 and will be followed a week later by the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens in SA.
The BlitzBokke will play against Wales, Canada and Portugal in Pool D at the Dubai Sevens.
Apart from Dippenaar, several other BlitzBokke returned from the Gold Coast nursing injuries.
Nippy playmaker Branco du Preez sustained a hamstring niggle and, depending on how well the injury respond to rest and treatment, should be able to resume training in a few weeks' time.
Debutant Ruhan Nel, scorer of a superb hat-trick of tries in his first match for the BlitzBokke against American Samoa, suffered a cracked cheekbone.
However, the injury is unlikely to rule him out of the December tournaments.
Regular captain Kyle Brown is due to return to full training in mid-November as he continues his rehabilitation following a traumatic dislocation of his shoulder during the final of the Commonwealth Games in July.
Meanwhile, Seabelo Senatla, Justin Geduld (Western Province) and Albertus Smith (Golden Lions) will resume their Currie Cup duties this coming weekend.
The trio as well as Rosko Speckman (Pumas) will return to the Sevens camp on conclusion of the domestic provincial competition.
