Johannesburg – The South African rugby community is breathing a sigh of relief following the news that Golden Lions prop Julian Redelinghuys’s operation to mend his broken neck was successful.
The 27-year-old broke his neck in Saturday’s Currie Cup semi-final with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, forcing him from the field in the 44th minute of the match.
The defending champions, the Lions, went on to lose the game 17-55; the Cheetahs now being hot favourites to win the final against the Blue Bulls this weekend.
Redelinghuys, who has played eight Tests for the Springboks and was a certainty for next month’s tour of Europe with Allister Coetzee’s team, dislocated his neck at “C5/6 level” and experienced “minimal temporary weakness of his left arm,” according to Lions doctor Rob Collins.
The burly prop underwent an operation in Bloemfontein today (Sunday) to fuse the cervical segments at C5 and 6 level, a procedure that, according to Collins, went well.
Redelinghuys was due to stay in Bloemfontein for the next few days and possibly return to Johannesburg later in the week. He is expected to make a full recovery.
The Lions have not said whether Redelinghuys will be cleared to play rugby again or not. He is, however, expected to make a “full recovery” but more on the extent of the injury, and his rehabilitation period, will be known only once the swelling on his neck subsides.
Redelinghuys is not likely to play rugby any time soon, whether he plays at all again.
The Lions will now break for a short period and regroup in a few weeks’ time to start preparations for the 2017 Super Rugby competition.