Boks dealt 'devastating' blow

[Burgs]

Boks dealt 'devastating' blow

From Fox correspondents in Johannesburg
July 31, 2007

SOUTH Africa flanker Pierre Spies has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup in France, starting on September 7, with clots on his lungs.

Spies, 22, was named as South Africa's most promising player last year and had been in tremendous form for the Bulls and the Springboks this year.

A Spies statement, relased by South Africa's team management overnight, said he was expected to be out for six to eight months.

"It would have been great to be in France, but I must accept that it is good that they diagnosed the problem much earlier," Spies said in the statement.

"Matters could have been worse had I continued playing."

South Africa coach Jake White said Spies's absence was a devastating blow to his squad.

"It's a huge loss for the team," White said.

"He is such a great player who would have played a huge role in our campaign in France.

"It would have been fascinating to see him in action with the likes of Schalk Burger at the World Cup."

Reuters

[Goldmember]

Plenty of Sharks players to replace him: Skinstad, Kankowski and AJ Venter (if he can be dragged out of retirement). Spies will be back someday.

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Plenty of Sharks players to replace him: Skinstad, Kankowski and AJ Venter (if he can be dragged out of retirement). Spies will be back someday.

Dont you worry Goldmember, your man Eddie will sort something out for you.

[Burgs]

Plenty to replace Goldie but none to replicate.
If I was a Bok supporter I would be spewing, he is a huge loss.
I thought Skinstad was injured out of the WC during the Australian 3N match?

[Goldmember]

Kankowski and AJ were unlucky to have been overlooked and I would have ranked them both ahead of Pierre Spies. Skinstad has the right amount of experience and talent to get the job done and I'm pretty sure he would have recovered from his rib injury by now.

Dont you worry Goldmember, your man Eddie will sort something out for you.

Eddie nearly won the RWC in 2003, so I'm pretty sure he has a few tricks up his sleeve

[tdevil]

Skinstad is a softy, when he played for Stormers and WP he was more on the sideline than on the field. Pick him, please.....easier to walk over the Springboks

[Jess]

Eddie nearly won the RWC in 2003, so I'm pretty sure he has a few tricks up his sleeve

Eddie nearly won? Don't you mean the players nearly won? Eddie just sat in the box and frowned a lot...

[tdevil]

You tell him, Jess

[Jess]

Why thankyou

I will.

[tdevil]

You just did

[Jess]

And I would do it again if I had any material.