Van Niekerk back for Toulon
Joe van Niekerk, the Springbok loose forward who now captains Toulon, is back in the squad to play Lyon in Top 14 action on Friday.
Van Niekerk, who has been much plagued by injury in recent times, underwent an operation for a collapsed lung on October 19 this year, an injury sustained against Perpignan in Toulon.
After his operation, and during his long recovery period, Van Niekerk told the In-Site Athlete Management website: “I’m so grateful for my health – it was quite a scare!
“I played on for about a month or so before they discovered what was actually wrong with me… so it could have been a lot worse I guess.”
Meanwhile, veteran England lock Simon Shaw has been named in the Toulon squad for the first time since moving to France from London Wasps.
Scrumhalf Sébastien Tillous-Borde is out because of a neck injury.
The Toulon squad:
Forwards: Steffon Armitage, Sébastien Bruno, Kristian Chesney, Laurent Emmanuelli, Pierrick Gunther, Carl Hayman, Davit Kubriashvili, Eifion Lewis-Roberts, Jean-Charles Orioli, Dean Schofield, Simon Shaw, Leonardo Senatore, Joe van Niekerk.
Backs: Mathieu Bastareaud, Matt Giteau, Matt Henjak, Benjamin Lapeyre, Christian Loamanu, Gabriele Lovobalavu, Laurent Magnaval, Alexis Palisson, Luke Rooney, David Smith, Jonny Wilkinson.
