John Dobson has given an update on the back injury that has kept Springbok prop Frans Malherbe out of rugby since April last year.
The Stormers coach and Director of Rugby concedes that Malherbe’s long road back from injury is still uncertain, but adds that the signs are promising.
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“Frans reminded me very directly this week he’s doing rehab every day, which he is,” Dobson said.
“He’s made a lot of progress with the neck and the back, but he’s actually just got another setback with his hip. They’re not sure if it’s related.
“He’s not changing direction yet, but he’s running at full speed and that’s normally a month or two. But he’s rehabbing properly. It’s all about the nerve and the pain. He’s not scrumming yet, so he’s not certain. But from the running and his general shape, he’s looking good.”
Dobson feels that if Malherbe returns at some point during the season, his scrumming roster would be the envy of the URC. But he’s also demanding more from his current props who’ll have to perform at their best to neutralise the likes of Ox Nche and Vincent Koch.
“Neetas [Neethling Fouché] had a very tough day at the office last week,” Dobson admitted.
“Maybe one or two of the referee’s calls went against us, but on reflection we probably expected a bit more from our starting front row.
“So it’s not so much about the Sharks, but about us putting the pressure on earlier. You really want the referee to have a clear picture of who’s in charge by the time the subs come on.”
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Fouché and Ntuthuko Mchunu will be the starting props against the Sharks, with Vernon Matongo and Sazi Sandi tasked with anchoring the scrum in the second half.
Photo: Cole Cruickshank/Gallo Images
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