Sydney – Springbok loose forward Schalk Burger believes he might have cracked a rib in South Africa’s 32-29 Tri-Nations victory against the All Blacks in Hamilton, New Zealand, on Saturday.

Juan Smith, who is suffering from a lower back injury, failed a fitness test on the morning of the Test and Burger was drafted into the starting line-up as late replacement.

The loose trio of Pierre Spies, Heinrich Brüssow and Burger however combined well. Burger had just started to regain his form of old when he had to leave the field in the 68th minute with a suspected broken rib and was replaced by Ryan Kankowski on the side of the scrum.

“I think one of my ribs is broken. You can feel the bone sticking out here,” he said at Auckland airport before the team’s departure via Sydney for South Africa on Monday.

“At this stage I don’t know how serious it is. I will go to the Western Province High Performance centre in Bellville to ask the doctor to assess the extent of the injury.”

Burger has not played much rugby recently. He was suspended for eight weeks after he was found guilty of making reckless contact in the eye area Irish centre Luke Fitzgerald during the British and Irish Lions series.

Free Stater Heinrich Brüssow stepped into the team in Burger’s absence and grabbed his opportunity with both hands. As a result the fiery WP loose forward has struggled to regain his place in the Bok starting line-up.

“I would really have loved to be able to play in the Currie Cup for WP again, but now it seems that is not going to happen. I will have to wait to hear what the doctors have to say. I have already experienced a broken rib in the past and this injury feels the same to me,” said a disappointed Burger.
Adnaan Mohamed

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