Springbok Cobus Reinach details return date after surgery

Stormers and South Africa scrum-half Cobus Reinach expects to be sidelined for six weeks after undergoing an operation recently.

After starting, and scoring, in the Stormers’ recent loss to his former side the Sharks in Durban on Saturday, the 35-year-old went under the knife to fix a groin hernia.

The World Cup winner shared a photo of himself in a hospital bed on social media alongside the caption “Quick pit stop. Everything went well! Back in a bit.”

In bizarre circumstances, the 50-cap Springbok revealed how long he is expected to be out of action for when correcting Grok on X.

Reinach responded to an erroneous message from Grok which stated he had undergone a knee operation by writing “No nothing wrong with my knee. Little 6 week procedure.”

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This ostensibly seems like an inopportune time for the Stormers to lose one of their star players for six-weeks, when they are in the throes of a sticky patch where they have lost three of their last four matches, having previously been unbeaten until losing to Harlequins on January 11 in the Investec Champions Cup.

John Dobson’s side may have slumped to third in the United Rugby Championship having previously been comfortable at the top, but this may be the ideal time for Reinach to go under the knife. A six-week lay-off would mean the scrum-half will only miss fixtures against the Lions and the Bulls while the URC schedule is reduced during the Guinness Six Nations. Reinach could be fit and firing by the time the URC returns in full swing in March.

From Rassie Erasmus’ perspective, Reinach will be back to full strength by the time the international window comes around in July, with the Springboks kicking off a hectic schedule against England in Johannesburg in the Nations Championship.

Despite turning 36 in a matter of days, Reinach played some of the best rugby of his career in 2025 and established himself as the first-choice Springboks No.9 and is in pole position to keep hold of that shirt.