Frans Malherbe provided news on his return-to-play situation as the Springbok and Stormers stalwart considers playing his club rugby for another team.
The veteran scrum anchor is training with the Stormers squad as he nurses his way back from chronic neck and back issues.
Director of rugby John Dobson said the Cape outfit would accommodate Malherbe, who is out of contract, for game time if the two-time World Cup winner becomes available.
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Bok boss Rassie Erasmus revealed that Malherbe could make a return to action early next year and responding to Schalk Burger on his status during the latest Boks Unpacked X The Verdict instalment, the 35-year-old said: “I’m actually good, Schalla.
“In the bigger picture, there’s good improvement. I’ve started training with the team – team training without contact, stuff like that.
“It’s obviously very nice to do rugby training, rugby-related stuff, rather than running back and forth to cones, which is not my favourite part.
“But it’s actually been going well and I think there’s some good improvement. Hopefully, soon I’ll be getting stuck into a scrum.”
Malherbe made both his senior Western Province and Stormers debuts in 2011, before becoming the Stormers’ second-most capped player with more than 150 appearances.
A key member in the Capetonians’ 2021-22 URC title win, the Paarl Boys’ High graduate addressed his rare achievement of being a one-club man.
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“I get a lot of recognition for loyalty, which is awesome, but credit has to be given to whenever I was out of contract or in the window to negotiate my next deal, SA Rugby with the help of the Stormers, or the Stormers with the help of SA Rugby, they took good care of me.
“I am not going to single out places now, but I would have loved to experience something elsewhere. But then again, I remember way back, a fellow player I played with at the Boks mentioned that he was a massive Bulls fan and never got to play for the Bulls.
“It’s like, you don’t understand what a big privilege it is to play for the club and the province you support. Not a lot of people have that option.”
Jean de Villiers suggested the possibility of Malherbe playing elsewhere before retiring, and the 76-Test prop noted: “Ja, let’s hope so.”
Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
The post Frans gives update on his future appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Frans Malherbe provided news on his return-to-play situation as the Springbok and Stormers stalwart considers playing his club rugby for another team.
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