Cape Town - The Sharks and Springboks have suffered a setback after scrumhalf Cobus Reinach was ruled out for up to nine months with a knee injury.
Sharks doctor Alan Kourie on Monday issued his injury report which revealed a lengthy spell on the sidelines for Reinach following surgery to his ACL (knee ligament).
This puts paid of Reinach’s hopes of regaining the Springbok No 9 jersey in 2016, having also failed to make South Africa’s Rugby World Cup squad last year.
Kourie's injury report also confirmed that Sharks flyhalf, and first-choice captain, Pat Lambie, has completed his rehabilitation and is available to play when his team host the Hurricanes in Durban on Saturday.
Philip van der Walt’s neck injury is not as severe and his approximate return is listed as two to three weeks.
Tera Mtembu and Francois Kleinhans are also both now fully fit and available for selection.
Of the remainder, Jacques Potgieter is presently rehabbing his ankle and should return in five weeks while young flyhalf Inny-Christian Radebe’s meniscus tear (right knee) should be healed in the next four weeks.
Both Ruan Botha (ankle) and Wandile Mjekevu (bone bruising of the knee) are expected to return in two (or three for the latter) weeks.