Burger to miss June Tests
Springbok stalwart Schalk Burger will miss the June Tests against England after the Stormers confirmed that he will only return to action after the international break.
The 29-year-old was forced to leave the field in the Stormers’ opening Super Rugby match of the season after tearing medial ligaments in his knee.
Stormers coach Allister Coeztee confirmed that Burger and fellow loose forwards Duane Vermeulen and Nick Koster would all return to action after the June break.
Vermeulen and Koster are also nursing knee injuries picked up on Stormers duty, and their chances of winning a first Test cap against England appear to be out the window.
The good news for the Stormers is that Gio Aplon (hamstring), Eben Etzebeth (shoulder), Jean De Villiers (wrist) and Andries Bekker (back), have all recovered and will be available for selection against the Cheetahs next Saturday.
The news comes as some relief to Coetzee, who was forced to rely on a number of youngsters to carry the torch in the final tour match against the Western Force.
“We are in a good position at the moment, but it can all be quickly undone,” Coetzee said.
“The next four games are crucial to our campaign and our focus is fully on the Cheetahs next week.
“We are really looking forward to playing in front of the faithful again. Our time on tour was good, but there is really nothing like playing in front of our home fans. Newlands is a special place and the guys feed off that energy.”
