Bulls coach Jake White shed light on Cameron Hanekom’s potentially season-ending injury suffered during their United Rugby Championship win over the Sharks.
The Loftus Versfeld faithful were treated to a comfortable 25-13 win over their perennial southern rivals in a brutal URC semifinal on Saturday night. However, the workmanlike victory has not come without cost.
No.8 Hanekom went down in the 47th minute of the bruising contest after a legal cleanout at rucktime from Sharks captain Siya Kolisi. Clutching his knee, the URC Next Gen Player of the Year was in agony and was ultimately helped off the field.
The talent’s injury leaves a big vacuum for the Bulls as they face the tough task of travelling to Dublin to face the indomitable Leinster in the URC Grand Final next week. It also casts doubt on Hanekom’s availability for the Springboks, who are already without hardman Jasper Wiese.
Speaking to the press after the match, White admitted it didn’t look good for the 21-year-old star.
“When it is swollen and there’s blood on it, it is tough to see,” said the World Cup-winning coach.
“They had a look and he won’t play next week [in the URC Final], that I can tell you. He thinks he can. He said he might go to the same doctor [Johan] Goosen went to.
“He can’t travel with such an injury. I’m hoping for his sake it’s like Goosen – a short-term rather than a long-term injury.
“He’s being given a scan. Obviously, he’s very upset, which is natural.”
White revealed that he spoke to Hanekom’s parents, assuring them that he has time on his side.
“I told his parents earlier in the changeroom they must remember he is 21 years old,” he said.
“People forget that when I started coaching, 21-year-old forwards weren’t invited to Bulls training. If they were, it was generally for the old men to bash them on a Monday night.
“He has obviously jumped the line because he is so talented and he feels a bit down now, but we must not forget that he’s just 21 years old. There’s still a lot of rugby that he’s going to be involved in over the next couple of years.”
