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Lions' Springbok star Kriel suffers surgery setback
By RugbyPass
The Lions' Springbok flanker Jaco Kriel faces an extended stay on the sideline.
The Lions revealed that 'due to unforeseen circumstances' the shoulder surgery the star loose forward underwent was 'unsuccessful'.
He is set for another round of surgery and is expected to be sidelined for another six months.
The 28-year-old, capped 11 times for South Africa, suffered the injury in the Rugby Championship Test against Australia in Perth on September 9 last year.
He underwent surgery almost immediately and was expected to miss only a few rounds of Super Rugby.
"Jaco should return by the end of February," Lions coach Swys de Bruin told rugby365 in an interview earlier this year.
However, he now requires a second round of surgery and could be sidelined for the rest of the season - which means he will also miss the England Test series.
It is a massive blow to the Lions, who have are currently at the top of the Super Rugby standings - after three comfortable wins against the Sharks (26-19), Jaguares (47-27) and Bulls (49-35).
However, the team does have enough depth to cope with the setback.
The preferred loose trio in the opening rounds was Albertus Smith, Cyle Brink and captain Warren Whiteley.
Regular lock Franco Mostert showed against the Bulls last weekend that he can do a fine job at blindside flanker, while the Lions also have adequate cover in Marnus Schoeman and Hacjivah Dayimani.
Courtesy of @rugby365
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Latest Comments
Agreed. Borthwick will have to write a new excuse book soon .
I have looked at the two world cup final teams from 2003 and 2020.
2003 team scored 187 tries between them in 389 caps
2020 team scored 113 tries between them in 473 caps. As you can see a huge disparity in scoring rate. Only Johnny May with 36 tries in 78 caps scored a higher amount of tries. Elliot Daly comes close but the rest are frankly very poor.
Farrell and Ford scored a pathetic 20 tries between them in a combined 210 caps.
There again , the 2003 team did have Wilko and Greenwood etc whereas 2020 team had Ford and Farrell .
So much people saying that Fords strength is of bringing others into the game .
Really. The figures totally disprove that notion .
It has been mentioned elsewhere that we have accepted mediocrity far too often and the figures would indicate that players are or have been picked far too often without performing .
Go to commentsNot disputing that NZ are ahead of Eng. Also not saying Eng are unlucky (though clearly the tone of the article is not that the ABs were unlucky but that they 'should have' won). Your team are looking great and are on the up. I just felt that Pundits have argued Eng 'should have' won the first test against the ABs, when it's more nuanced than that, and very fine margins determine results that Eng didn't get right. Same applies, therefore, to NZ and other nations. Ben Smith though doesn't seem to see it that way. To be clear: I'm not saying I agree with the 'should haves', but more that I take issue with the phrasing.
Good to see your respect for other nations is so strong! Proper rugby fan you are!!!
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