The Cell C Sharks half-back pairing of Pat Lambie and Cobus Reinach will not feature in the near future of the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament after sustaining injuries against the Bulls on Saturday night.
Sharks Website Release
Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach has a fractured hand and underwent surgery today (Monday).
He has been confirmed out of action for up to eight weeks which means missing the match against the Waratahs this Saturday at Growthpoint KINGS PARK as well as three matches in April (Lions away and at home to the Cheetahs and Highlanders) and some – if not all – of the tour to Australia and New Zealand where they play the Rebels, Brumbies, Crusaders and Blues in May.
Pat Lambie was initially thought to be out for a similar period but the diagnosis has been confirmed as a torn biceps tendon which means he is not going to play any further role in the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament.
Lambie will undergo surgery later this week with recovery taking up to six months.
The loss of the pair is a huge blow to the Cell C Sharks aspirations. Ahead of the Reds match Director of Rugby Jake White, asked about the partnership of Will Genia and Quade Cooper, warned that all great teams had great nine-ten combinations and that the Reds (with the same partnership featuring for the Wallabies) had one of the best in the tournament.
Likewise, despite their relative youth – Lambie is 23 and Reinach 24 – the pair were starting to deliver exciting performances both individually and as a partnership.
But while White speaks of the nine-ten combination, he also talks of new opportunities. The Cell C Sharks did enjoy a good early run without injuries, and now that they have been affected, must simply do what they knew they would have to at some stage, and that is heads down and get on with the job.
They host the Waratahs this Saturday at Growthpoint KINGS PARK, kick-off is at 17:05.
Does this mean Jake has an excuse to loose all the games from here on… 🙂
@ Blouste:
Blouste lekker om jou weer hier te sien. Hoe gaan dit , jy is mos in Parys
Nee boet, terug in Vuilbijl.
Gaan goed dankie, net besig kry maar min tyd om te post, loer wel baie in.
Hoe gaan dit daar by julle ?
I wonder if the Sharks will play Botes now? move alberts to lock and play Fransie at flyhalf.
This is pretty bad news. Time for Zeilinga and Swiel to step up. Judging from Swiel’s performance last weekend, perhaps Zeilinga is a safer bet. Frans is also an option, but he is doing such a good job at 12 that it is almost a shame to move him. As GBS wrote yesterday, McLeod is more consistent than Reinach (although the latter has more of the fabled X-factor). But if McLeod were to get injured, things could get a bit dodgy.
Good for the Boks if Frankie makes a fist of it at 10 Meyer will be smiling.
@Kaki
I still believe you got a gem when you scooped Timo, but I also think he was scared of doing something wrong, so he tried to just play safe and the percentages on Saturday.
It’s quite understandable, I doubt anyone, least of all him, expected him to have to be on by the 6th minute.
Zeilinga probably does have more experience with the team and plays, but I hope Swiel gets a chance to show that he is up to it, even if it is for the Guppies and not the Stormers
@ nortierd:
I hope you’re right – let’s wait and see. It does seem unlikely that he has lost the skill that made him look so good as a youngster (which, let’s face it, he still is). Jake hates midgets, so Swiel may well start against the Tahs. Having said that, Jake could play Frans at 10 and Esterhuizen at 12 – the bigger, the better.
@Kaki
I also think Jake would go with Frans at 10, so would I if I was in his position.
Also, JP can slot in at centre.
Is Ndungane back yet?
@ nortierd:
Not sure, I guess it is up to Odwa when he returns.
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