OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 3.00pm.
NATAL Sharks flyhalf Henry Honiball has been officially ruled out of the Winfield Tri-Nations Tests against New Zealand in Pretoria on August 7 and Australia in Cape Town on August 14 due to an ankle injury.
While Honiball’s chronic ankle problems are widely covered, the South African Rugby Football Union (Sarfu) consulted a specialist on Wednesday, and announced their verdict on Thursday. Sarfu’s recommendation is a one-month break from rugby.
“Honiball has a chronic inflammation at the back of the right ankle joint, known as a posterior impingement syndrome,” said SA team doctor Frans Verster in Johannesburg on Thursday. “It is an ongoing injury which was aggravated in the weekend’s Bankfin Currie Cup match against Border in Durban,” the doctor added.
Verster said the three to four week prescribed rest is designed to have Honiball fit for the World Cup. Springbok coach Nick Mallett said a replacement for Honiball will be named on Sunday evening.