Not all gloom for MTN Lions after Maku's injury |
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February 8 - With the kick-off of the 2012 Vodacom Super Rugby competition a mere two weeks away the MTN Lions have accepted the shoulder operation of and long lay-off of Springbok hooker Bandise Maku philosophically.
And while this injury is the bad news for the Lions of a man who more than played his part in last year’s resurgence of the franchise and the later winning of the Absa Currie Cup, there are also some plusses. A trio of young hookers will now compete for Maku’s position in building on the depth that is already noticeable at the Lions.
Last year’s Maties captain Callie Visagie (23) could well be the frontrunner for the vacant starting position after being Maku’s hooker replacement against the Stormers. But there are also two players with experience of Super Rugby, i.e. Martin Bezuidenhout (22) and Edgar Marutlulle (24) who both made eight Super Rugby appearances for the Lions last year.
Maku will be out for up to six months, the same sideline period as Dylan Des Fountain (ACL). Springbok centre Waylon Murray is also on the injured list after a recurrence of the knee injury he sustained in the Currie Cup last season.
The Lions expect most of the other players recovering from injury to be ready for the Cheetahs game in Johannesburg on February 25. Flyhalf Elton Jantjies, lock Wikus van Heerden and centre Alwyn Hollenbach are all expected to return. Although the other injured players are expected to be fit they will probably not be match-ready for the match against the Toyota Cheetahs at Coca-Cola Park on February 25.
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