The Sharks and Stormers have been hit hard by the injury bug this season, with several key players being forced out of the action.
Sharks head coach John Plumtree said the Springboks could suffer at major tournaments such as the Rugby World Cup if a solution isn’t found to the rising number of injuries being incurred amid the demanding 12-month schedule South African clubs are facing.
He was speaking on the back of the Sharks’ narrow 24–20 defeat to the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship (URC) match in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Sharks have seen several national team players injured this season and even in the match on Saturday, a couple of key players went off.
Aphelele Fassi’s knee injury appeared to be the worst and he had to go to the hospital for scans.
André Esterhuizen also went off due to a knee injury. Likewise, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi struggled with muscle cramps for a while before gingerly walking off the field.
Before the game, prop Trevor Nyakane was replaced by Hanro Jacobs due to a late injury.
Other Springboks not included in the matchday squad due to injury were Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Grant Williams, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi.
‘Injuries are the thing at the moment’
“Not a great day at the office on the injury front again. To add to my worries,” laughed Plumtree. He said things had become chaotic with all the injuries and players had to shift to positions they don’t normally play in.
“We did the best we could under the circumstances. Injuries are the thing at the moment. They seem to be haunting us a little bit. They are not the one week and two-week injuries, they are more like the six day [injuries]. It is certainly very stressful for the team. Our season is getting a little undone by the injuries.
“When you think of the players I do not have available and those sitting on the sideline, that is 15 or 16 players. So that is why I was so proud of the rest of those boys.”
He said he hopes the Sharks will have Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Grant Williams, Lukhanyo Am, James Vener and Vincent Tshikuta back in time for the Champions Cup game against Toulouse next week.
“It would have been nice to have them today,” Plumtree laughed again.
Injury concern
When asked if the injury dilemma the Sharks are going through and the Stormers had recently was rooted in the 12-month play without a break that has prevailed since South African teams joined European tournaments, Plumtree said players needed to be managed properly or there would be ‘an accumulation’ of injuries to come before important international tournaments like the World Cup. He said older players would struggle in particular with this.
“It is not something a coach should get in trouble for talking about because this is something we are dealing with. Playing in the southern hemisphere, playing in the northern hemisphere, until that is sorted out we will see that [frequent injuries].”
Still, Plumtree tips South Africa to handle this demand because of the depth both locally and abroad.
And yet he stressed the importance of a pre-season window where players can rest, which is denied to players now.
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