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Luckless Bok Taute ready to make impact

Cape Town - Stormers utility back Jaco Taute is ready to make an impact for the Cape franchise after several injury setbacks.

Since making his Springbok debut in 2012, the 25-year-old has been plagued by injuries.

“I’ve been an unlucky man,” Taute told Stormers Magazine. “It’s been tough. Injuries certainly aren’t fun.”

Taute had more than four serious injuries since joining the Stormers from the Lions four years ago.

“It started in 2013 in my first game for the Stormers, when I came off the bench against the Bulls,” he said. “One of my testicles burst in a nasty tackle - it was not a pleasant experience.”

After a delicate operation and spell on the sidelines, Taute was back for the Stormers and ready to leave his mark. However, in just his second game after his comeback, he sustained a career threatening knee injury.

The Stormers’ strength and conditioning coach, Steph du Toit, described the injury as a catastrophic one.

“Taute completely shredded his knee,” Du Toit said. “It’s similar to what happened to Jean de Villiers... he tore his ACL, PCL, MCL, his lateral meniscus, medial meniscus and part of his calf. That sort of injury has ended many rugby careers.”

Taute added: “They told me it would be a massive operation. There was only a 50% chance I’d ever be the same again.”

But he was determined to return to the game and began what would become a gruelling 12-month rehab.

“It’s a very lonely road,” said Taute. “It’s long hard hours of being constantly mentally tested.”

Once he had completed his rehab, Taute worked his way into the Stormers team for the 2014 Super Rugby season. He got through the season without any lengthy injury layoffs, and capped it off with a Currie Cup title later that year when WP beat the Lions in the final at Newlands.

But disaster struck again when he had to undergo another knee operation to remove some loose cartilage surrounding his meniscus.

A groin injury followed, which left him hobbling in and out of the 2015 season.

By the end of 2015, however, Taute had shaken both injuries and was finally ready to put it all behind him.

Then, in pre-season this year, there was more heartache when he injured his ankle ligaments in a pre-season game against SWD in George.

Taute has since recovered and has featured in a couple of games for Western Province in the Currie Cup Qualifying competition.

He is hoping to make an impact for the Stormers and WP for the remainder of the year.

“Don’t ask questions like, why did this happen to me? Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Rather get focused on how you are going to come back stronger. I just want to enjoy it and play for the guys around me,” Taute stressed.

 

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