The dreaded injury bogey and looseforward curse has struck Heinrich Brüssow, the Toyota Free State Cheetahs and Springbok flank yet again.

Yesterday it was reported by the Toyota Free State Cheetahs assistant coach Hawies Fourie that Heinrich Brüssow could be ruled out of the rest of the season following an AC Joint injury to the left shoulder. This after Heinrich had been struggling for almost two years with rib and knee injuries, only returning to play after the Currie Cup was already well underway.

“Heinrich has gone for a scan,” Fourie said. Subsequently it has now been established that he would indeed need surgery on the left shoulder, which would keep him out for 6 months. The sooner the operation is done, the less time Heinrich Brüssow would miss in Super Rugby in 2013.

Heinrich Brüssow had been hoping to force his way back into Springbok contention and selection.

In addition to Brüssow’s injury, fellow Springbok and formerly retired looseforward, Hendro Scholtz took a nasty blow to the head in the Toyota Free State Cheetahs game against GWK Griquas at the weekend. Scholtz has undergone SARU’s cognitive tests and the Free State Cheetahs will make a call on him later in the week.

The looseforward selection for the coming round of Currie Cup matches therefor poses the biggest problem for the embattled team, although there are a few other bumps and bruises as well to consider.

“We seem to have a loose forward curse, I’m not sure what is wrong,” Fourie said.

The Toyota Free State Cheetahs currently have the following quality looseforwards unavailable: Juan Smith, Heinrich Brüssow, Frans Viljoen, Kabamba Floors, Boom Prinsloo and Phillip van der Walt.