Stormers boss John Dobson has revealed when Cheslin Kolbe is set to return from injury, while also discussing SA Rugby’s engagement with clubs over Springbok game time.
Kolbe broke his jaw against the All Blacks on 9 September and his recovery timeline meant he could play against Italy on 7 November in the Nations Championship, before Tests against France (13 November) and Ireland (21 November).
Speaking during a Stormers conference on Wednesday, Dobson told reporters Kolbe could make his comeback for the Cape club in the Sharks clash on 5 December.
TEAM: It’s Muller time as Stormers mix and match
“He’s not going to make the Springbok tour, but he’s available for us from the start of December,” he said. “He’s attending team meetings, he’s so involved, we can’t wait to have him. So there’s a silver lining in that.
“I’m sure the Springboks are going to miss him on the end-of-year tour. I don’t know if he makes it, maybe later on in the tour, I’m not close enough to it. But I know he’s with us from the beginning of December onwards.
“Because in South African rugby, they speak of that three-week compulsory rest period as ‘beer and braai’. I think neither would apply for Cheslin, but at least he’s got his rest and he’s ready to go, so he’s very excited about that.”
BIG VIC: Boks to play more Tonyball
Siya Kolisi, Damian Willemse and Wilco Louw have not been named by Dobson to face the Scarlets at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday in round four of the URC.
Skipper Paul de Villiers, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Zachary Porthen and Ntuthuko Mchunu will start, while veterans Deon Fourie and Cobus Reinach have been named on the bench.
Dobson said SA Rugby had put the Stormers under “zero pressure” to play or rest their Springboks, with the Boks set for a week off after the Nations Championship. He had also spoken to Bok management about his plans and said they were happy.
ICYMI: Stormers challenge Kotzé sanction
“We’re privileged to have 10 or 11 Springboks here, but I know they can’t go Nations Championship, Greatest Rivalry, Australia Test, four club games, then back into the Nations Champs and come back. It’s just general player welfare.
“They haven’t asked us to put anybody in the fridge,” he added.
“If we think we’re going to ask these guys to play five or six Test matches and then play four games in a row for the club and then keep going like that until January, it’s impossible.
“We’d much rather have a fresh, happy, engaged Springbok than a guy who’s literally running on smoke and Elastoplast.
“The Springboks do not tell us to wrap them up. We just do an arrangement with each player individually, [to see if] he feels that he can give his best for the Stormers.”
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The post Kolbe ruled out of Bok tour appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Stormers boss John Dobson has revealed when Cheslin Kolbe is set to return from injury, while also discussing SA Rugby’s engagement with clubs over Springbok game time.
The post Kolbe ruled out of Bok tour appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
