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The Jacques Nienaber update on the Dan Sheehan, RG Snyman injuries
By Liam Heagney
Leinster coach Jacques Nienaber has updated the prognosis on Dan Sheehan, the hooker who limped out of Ireland’s first Test loss to South Africa in Pretoria on July 6. Sheehan required knee treatment following a first-half tackle on Eben Etzebeth and although he played on and had a pivotal role in creating a try for Jamie Osborne, he didn’t come out for the second half at Loftus Versfeld.
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Sheehan’s place in Andy Farrell’s starting line-up the following weekend went to Ronan Kelleher, with Rob Herring providing cover from the bench when the two-Test series was levelled in Durban with a last-gasp 25-24 win.
It was confirmed in South Africa that Sheehan had torn his ACL and seven weeks after the injury was suffered, Leinster have now confirmed that the rehabbing front-rower could be back in time for his country’s 2025 Guinness Six Nations campaign.
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“What I see if you look at his knees, he is currently looking very good and there hasn’t been a setback yet,” explained Nienaber, the former Springboks head coach, to Irish media at a Leinster open training session in Gorey ahead of next month’s start to the new URC season.
“He got injured in July. If everything goes well that’s six months and normally ACLs are between six and nine months. The majority will fall into that time frame bracket. The odd ones where there are setbacks go nine to 12 to 14 months. That’s a few of them. Then you get between four and six months. I would say 80 per cent is between six and nine. It’s just how much damage is done.”
It was last October when Nienaber finished up with the Springboks after coaching them to Rugby World Cup final glory versus New Zealand in France. Despite his switch to Leinster as senior coach, he is still up to speed on all things South African rugby judging by the insight he provided on RG Snyman, the Test lock who will be joining the Irish province later this year.
Snyman was due to start The Rugby Championship opener versus Australia in Brisbane on August 10 but was a late withdrawal for the Springboks with a foot problem. Nienaber expects him to be available for selection versus the All Blacks on August 31 in Johannesburg.
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“I don’t know the extent of his injury, but I heard that he is probably going to be in the mix for the New Zealand Test match, so I don’t think it is serious. What I have heard within the camp they expect him to be ready for the New Zealand Test.”
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