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Scotland international Du Preez unable to speak after operation

By Online Editors
Cornell du Preez poses for Worcester Warriors portrait. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Cornell du Preez has given an alarming update after having surgery on a throat injury.

The Scotland international backrow picked up the knock while playing for Worcester against Wasps in round one the Premiership when he collided with England international second row Joe Launchbury.

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The South Africa-born player has revealed he’ll be unable to speak for four weeks. He took to Instagram to give an update: “On the 1st of September i fractured my cricoid(adams apple). I also damaged my voicebox so i wont be able to speak at all for the next 4 or so weeks. I will be in hospital until then. We really want to thank @worcswarriors , friends and family from all over the world for the unbelievable support that have been received. Its been overwhelming. I will get back to replying to messages over the next few days. Thanks”

In a statement Worcester Warriors Director of Rugby Alan Solomons said: “Cornell is making good progress and is receiving the best treatment in hospital. Everyone at the Club sends him their best wishes and we will continue to support him at this difficult time. We wish him a speedy recovery.”

The unfortunate incident happened just five minutes into Du Preez’ debut for the Warriors, having joined from PRO14 club Edinburgh in the summer to link up with his former boss Solomans, replacing David Denton who moved to Leicester Tigers.

The 6’4, 109kg backrow has made six appearances for Scotland, with his most recent in this season’s NatWest 6 Nations against Wales.

He made the move to Edinburgh Rugby in 2013 where he has made more than 100 appearances, scoring 13 tries, and also helped the Scottish side to the European Challenge Cup final in 2015 and also the quarter-finals of the competition last season.

Du Preez previously played for Eastern Province Kings in South Africa where he made 23 appearances and crossed for 11 tries, as well as playing 16 times for the Kings in the 2013 Super Rugby season.

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Born in Port Elizabeth, Du Preez also represented the South Africa Under 20s side in 2011.

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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