Lions' Bok under the knife
Golden Lions hooker Robbie Coetzee will undergo surgery in Durban on Friday, in order to reduce the pain in his neck and prepare him for the 2015 Super Rugby tournament.
Coetzee, who was recently called up to the Springbok touring squad for the year-=end tour but returned back to South Africa as a result of recurring neck pain, will undergo a micro-discectomy.
It means a small piece of disc will be removed from his neck to reduce the pressure on a nerve.
This will relieve his discomfort immediately.
According to team doctor Rob Collins the surgery will be a good long-term solution and Coetzee is expected to make his return early in the 2015 season.
"Provided all goes well with the surgery, we expect Robbie to be training with the team in the next few weeks, and he will be able to play early in the Super Rugby season," said Collins.
