I phoned the WP Rugby Union about the potential return of Etzebeth, Schickerling and Willemse to play again on Super Rugby level.
They could not confirm anything other than to say that the players will be tested again on Monday there may be clarification on the issue on Tuesday in the media or on their website.
I do not understand the Etzebeth case at all. He has now been off for 8 months and there was a report at one stage that he lost power in one arm - so what really is going on. It sounds very strange and one wonders whether he will ever come back as the player he used to be.
The issue of Schickerling is less complicated. He was injured in March and the return date was given as mid-June. There has been no news as yet. Schickerling is to my mind a better 4 than Snyman. Even though the latter was good in the first test he went invisible in the second test - a player whose thinking of rugby is limited. It would be very interesting to see when the good rugby thinker Schickerling would be back.
As to Willemse - the back-up to Pollard is limited. By now it is clear Jantjies cannot take the step-up from Super Rugby to test level and there are question marks as to Du Preez as well. The answer as to replacement should Pollard be injured is problematic - so the sooner Willemse gets back the better.
