Sharks coach John Plumtree has admitted his fears that the injury that forced Bongi Mbonambi off in the World Cup final could rule the hooker out for the rest of the season.
Mbonambi suffered the knee injury as the victim of a dangerous cleanout by All Blacks flank Shannon Frizzell in the opening minutes of the final in Paris.
During a media briefing on Wednesday, Plumtree revealed more bad news for Sharks fans, as he confirmed that Springbok prop Vincent Koch has also joined Mbonambi on the injury list.
“Vincent is out, he will be out for about three months, and Bongi is out for longer than that, possibly for the rest of the season,” Plumtree said.
According to SuperSport.com, Mbonambi’s injury is expected to keep him on the sidelines for at minimum six months, meaning his earliest return date will be in May next year.
The front row double whammy adds to an already stacked medical ward of forwards, which includes locks Gerbrandt Grobler – out for the season with a broken arm – Le Roux Roets and Reniel Hugo.
The Sharks were forced to play a youthful pack during their challenging four-week overseas tour, which saw them lose all of their opening fixtures.
“We have seven forwards who are 23 years of age or under. As a father with a son who is that age, I realise that they are all relative babies and have a lot to learn, and I need to be mindful of that when I set out my expectations of them.
“My son Taine, who is currently playing in Wales, is 23 and he is still raw and far from the finished product,” Plumtree said.
On the other hand, there is some good news, as Plumtree added that Eben Etzebeth is eager to get stuck in, once the Springbok lock completes his mandated World Cup rest period.
“I’ve spoken to Eben and he is keen to play and looking forward to it, although obviously I am not bothering him too much at this point,” Plumtree said.
Photo: Twitter/@Springboks