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RG Snyman to miss start of URC season

By Ian Cameron
({Photo by Getty Images)

Springboks secondrow RG Snyman will miss the start of Munster’s URC season it has been revealed.

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The 27-year-old 2019 World Cup winner has endured a dreadful time with injury since joining the Irish province two years ago.

Snyman initially tore his ACL just seven minutes into his Munster debut away to Leinster at the Aviva Stadium after he landed heavily on the floor after stealing lineout ball in August 2020.

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It took 13 months for him to return to the field but it sadly proved a short-lived return to action. The 6’9 Bok re-ruptured his ACL in just his third match back, away to Scarlets in September, 2021.

Three weeks ago it seemed that Snyman might make it back in time for the opening rounds of the season but Munster have now dashed those hopes.

In a statement Munster said: “As RG Snyman’s reintegration to team training continues after a lengthy lay-off, the lock is not available for the opening rounds of the season.”

Snyman will be hoping that a strong showing in the URC could help earn him a place in Jacques Nienaber Springboks World Cup squad for France, although South Africa are relatively well stocked in the second row department – traditionally a positon of strength for the Rainbow Nation.

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Such are Snyman’s abilities, it is not impossible that he could yet force his way back into a settled Bok squad, although a return to the field and full fitness will obviously be non-negotiables.

There is good news elsewhere in that new signing Antoine Frisch – who has a shoulder injury – has joined full team training.

There is also a return to training for two Ireland internationals. “Dave Kilcoyne (neck) and Liam Coombes (toe) have both returned to full team training after recovering from their respective injuries.

“John Hodnett (knee) is also nearing a return as he increases his training load.”

Andrew Conway and Jack Daly – both having sustained knee injuries – continue to rehabilitate.

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J
Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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