Schalk Burger - Crocked
Stormers captain and flank Schalk Burger could possibly be sidelined until July, which would see him miss the Springboks’ three-Test series against England.
Sport24
Burger has been missing from the Stormers side since tearing medial ligaments in a knee during their Super Rugby opening-round clash with the Hurricanes at Newlands on 25 February.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has, on a few occasions, stated that Burger could return for their home game against the Cheetahs on 12 May.
However, Die Burger has been reliably informed that Burger’s knee injury is far worse than initially stated and that he’s actually in a race against time to make the England series, which starts on 9 June.
The newspaper states that Burger will in all likelihood only be ready for action in July, which will see him miss all three Tests against England.
Burger is a strong candidate for Bok captain and this explains coach Heyneke Meyer’s eagerness to lure lock Victor Matfieldout of retirement.
Meanwhile, eighthman Duane Vermeulen, who captained the Stormers in their 23-13 win over the Reds on Friday, also looks set to be sidelined longer than initially anticipated.
He landed in Cape Town on Monday and still needs to undergo a scan but indications are there that he’ll be out for between four and six months.
Wing / fullback Gio Aplon also returned home after picking up a hamstring injury against the Reds. He will, however, be ready for the clash against the Cheetahs.
Centre Jean de Villiers, who captained the team in Burger’s absence before injuring ligaments in his hand against the Crusaders, is expected to be ready for the clash against the Waratahs on 19 May.
So… Matfield’s possible comeback from retirement maybe not such a bad option…. after all the moans and groans from the coastal supporters…
Think about it, your tantrams were very silly indeed!
Lets look at the possible Bokke Captain candidates:
– Juan Smith out… whole year, possibly longer
– Schalla out… maybe till after the England Tests
– Jean de Villiers out… might be ready in time for England Tests… MIGHT
– Bismarck du Plessis… playing half injured at present and not exactly firing on all cylinders
– Jannie du Plessis… playing the shittiest rugby of his whole career
– Adriaan Strauss… not going to make the starting Bokke lineup
– Josh Strauss… not going to make the starting Bokke lineup and has not exactly excelled at captaincy work in Super Rugby
– Andries Langbek… injury prone and totally off form
– Fourie du Preez… definate possibility but will he come back from Japan and International retirement?
– Chiliboy Ralepelle… not sure of making the starting lineup, but with Bissie playing so badly he’s fast becoming a real option
– Pierre Spies… First season as Bulls captain, still has a lot to prove as captain
So, make your pick….
gbs @ 1
generalising a bit, aint we?
which coastal supporters are you refering to?
and
werent the same concern raised amongst your fellow (bulls) supporters around the same issue?
now
on andries bekker … except for the fact that he’s a bit injury prone, i have lost faith that this guy is the answer to replacing matfield … just look at the semis and finals we’ve played in the last 2 years … he (for one) was nowhere to be seen and wasnt even a factor in the line-outs. might be wrong, but i cant see what the fuss around him is all about!!
2 @ Ashley:
Asbak… maybe I should have phrased it a bit differently and said… “after all the moans and groans MOSTLY from the coastal supporters”
Agree with you on the Bekker issue.
@ grootblousmile:
From your list it must be either Strauss or Chilliboy. Both are playing excellent rugby. Bis mark has gone off the boil, can’t hit his jumpers and is a penalty machine.
4 @ Loosehead:
I speculate that for the first few Tests Heyneke will start with Bissie at hooker (due to the short space of workable time available to him)… and then also that Chiliboy will be the Bokke bench hooker.
I would have chosen differently… would have started with either Adriaan Strauss or with Chiliboy and the other one of the 2 on the bench.
Bissie is just not firing at the moment, but things could change very quickly, after all Meyer has the Bulls & Sharks Bokke aspirants with him at present, this week… and that could be the injection Bissie needs, to focus.
When on song, Bismarck has no equal in the WORLD, even though Adriaan Strauss & Chiliboy would easily waltz into 99% of other International sides, no problem.
You called it MY list… who else is there… is’nt that the generally accepted and most logical list of possible Bok captains?
You were one of those vehemently against Matfield’s comeback… all I ask is if you guys now see that the mud is a bit deeper than initially thought.. and therefore that the inclusion of Matfield is therefore not so problematic or such a foreign concept?
Hell, even your “Sweetie Pie” coach, Jake White… feels Matfield should be there!
5: nou wanneer gaan Vic besluit, die dag voor die toets of hy gaan speel ? Hy is nie in die Bulle se toergroep nie, so hy gaan vir hulle speel nie en hy het gesê hy gaan nie vir ‘n ander span speel nie, dus ek lei af hy gaan die ‘comeback’ of los of hy gaan wel vir ‘n ander span speel in SA ?
6 @ bdb:
Ek wonder maar ook, jong.
Vic sal seersekerlik as Lynstaankonsultant en SuperSport guru saam met die Bulls gaan toer… so hulle kan hom altyd daar nog intrek en gereed kry… en speel ook.
Vra eerder of hy sy tokse inpak…. hahahaha
Net om dit duidelik te stel… ek sou nie vir Vic kies of laat terugkom vir die Bokke nie… maar ek verstaan Heyneke Meyer se denke om dit DALK te wil doen.
Ek dink Nr 5 slot is OK vir die Bokke, met Juandré Kruger en Andries Langbek daar… afgerig by die Bokke deur Matfield as konsultant.
Dis Nr 4 slot wat effe meer lol, met Eben Etsebeth effe beseer (my 1ste keuse vir Bok), soos aangevul deur Flip van der Merwe (effe beseer)
Dan is daar nog Wilhelm Steenkamp – wat Nr 4 of Nr 5 kan speel op die bank, as die nood druk.
Geen Lions, Cheetahs of Sharks slot beindruk my sover die seisoen nie.
5@ grootblousmile:SWAK, you put the list up, therefore it is yopur list. To be fair there is only Keagan Daniel left………………oh shit did I say that?
Both Bismark and Jannie should not make the squad on form alone. Did you see Bismark and Daniel arguing after a lineout that was lost? He needs a strong leader above him. We are now seeing why JS was preferred to him.
Has there been moans and groans from mostly coastal supporters? I’m not so sure, but lets leave it there – it’s always the coastal guys. Matfield is still the wrong person in my books, and that isn’t a moan, its a statement. He’s not match fit, and that is my only reason. He must be the BEST available to slot in at lock, and if he is (how we judge that until we see him play again, I don’t know), then I am very happy to eat my words – without moaning.
FdP is still HM’s first choice, and agree with Loosehead, both Strauss and Chiliboy are playing better rugby than Bissy at the moment, in my opinion, and both a very capable of doing the job. If there is enough faith in Spies at the Bulls, and HM was still around when he was chosen, he must be able to make the step up. He is a senior Springbok now.
Throw Bissy, Langbek, Jannie and A Strauss in as long shots, and I don’t think the Bok captaincy is a problem at all!
Wow, and not a moan in sight!!!!!!
10@ Just For Kicks:
Next thing the inlanders will moan about you not moaning.
11 @ Loosehead:
Make that MOSTLY inlanders…. hehehe
@ grootblousmile: touche!
loosehead #11, gbs #12
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