Bullet went through Naka’s ‘funny bone’ - wife

Cape Town - Former Springbok hooker Naka Drotske underwent a long but successful operation to his right arm on Monday, his wife Marzanne Drotske has said.

Marzanne told Netwerk24 that Drotske went under the knife at 15:00 on Monday and came out of surgery at 20:00 the same evening.

She said they had to remove "lots of small fragments of bone", before adding: "The doctor says the operation was a huge success and they were able to attach the nerves."

Drotske was left in a critical condition last Thursday night when three armed men attacked him and his family at his brother's smallholding just outside Pretoria.

He was shot in the chest, abdomen and arm, before being rushed to a Pretoria hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to his abdomen.

Marzanne added that one of the bullets "literally went through his shock bone ('funny bone')" and that her husband was still confused and in pain.

Drotske's cousin, Steven Drotske, earlier said that the former Bok could in all likelihood be going home on Friday.

"He and Marzanne would like to thank everybody for their prayers and offering of help. This is almost like a miracle! Appreciate one and all, love Naka and Marzanne," Steven Drotske posted on Facebook.

Drotske won 26 Test caps between 1993 and 1999 and played one game during South Africa's home Rugby World Cup victory in 1995. He also played for London Irish from 2001-2003.

After retiring he coached Super Rugby side the Cheetahs before quitting rugby in 2015 to pursue business interests.