Frans Malherbe: Springboks Hit With Major Blow As Star Player Suffers Injury Setback

Stormers head coach John Dobson has shared the latest on the condition of Springboks tighthead prop Frans Malherbe, who has been out of action since April last year.

The two-time Rugby World Cup winner has been on a long rehabilitation journey after sustaining a serious back problem that placed his career in jeopardy and ruled him out of the entire 2025 international campaign.

Although concerns had been raised that the 34-year-old might not return to elite rugby, Dobson has confirmed that Malherbe continues to make steady progress as he works towards regaining full fitness.

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That said, Malherbe’s comeback has encountered another obstacle. Speaking ahead of the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship fixture against the Sharks in Cape Town, Dobson revealed that the experienced prop has picked up a fresh issue during his recovery.

Dobson explained that Malherbe has remained diligent with his rehabilitation programme, training daily and showing notable improvement in both his neck and back. However, he has recently experienced a hip problem, the cause of which is still unclear.

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While Malherbe is not yet able to change direction or return to scrummaging, he is already running at full pace — a stage that typically indicates he is still a month or two away from full contact work. Dobson added that the focus remains on managing nerve-related discomfort and pain, but based on his conditioning and movement, the prop is showing encouraging signs.

With Malherbe sidelined, Zachary Porthen has seized the opportunity, breaking into both the Stormers lineup and the Springboks squad, making his Test debut against Japan last November.

Meanwhile, fellow Springbok Neethling Fouche has stepped into Malherbe’s starting role. Dobson is optimistic that Fouche will have a stronger performance against the Sharks this weekend after a challenging match against Leicester Tigers.

“Neetas had a really difficult outing last week,” Dobson acknowledged.

“Perhaps a call or two by the referee didn’t go our way, but looking back, we probably expected more from our starting front row. It’s less about the Sharks and more about us asserting pressure early on. Ideally, you want the referee to clearly see who’s controlling the game before the substitutes come on.”

Source: Briefly News