Lions forced to soldier on in URC without injured Tshituka

The Lions have revealed rising flanker Vincent Tshituka will be sidelined for at least the next six weeks in what is a big blow to the team’s United Rugby Championship challenge.

The powerful No 7 is nursing a shoulder injury and, according to forwards coach Albert van den Berg, Tshituka won’t play in the next six weeks.

“Vincent is with us every day at training, but he won’t be back soon,” said Van den Berg on Tuesday.  “He’s strengthening his shoulder at the moment and the last thing we want is to bring him back and then he has another setback. We want to give him enough time to recover so that he stays on the field.”

Tshituka has been an integral member of the Lions pack in recent years and would have come close to getting a national call-up last year. He was last in action for the Lions in the latter stages of last year.

Tshituka was ruled out on the eve of last week’s URC game against the Sharks, with his place taken by Ruhan Straeuli, who’s set to play in the back-row again this weekend, alongside Jaco Kriel and Francke Horn.

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Van den Berg said it was hard to lose a player of Tshituka’s ability.

“It’s his work ethic, his work rate,” said Van den Berg. “He’s a hard worker, he makes his tackles, he carries strongly… he’s just one of those players who always give 110%. He’s been around a bit too, he has some experience now, so we miss him for sure.”

The Lions are also currently without Reinhard Nothnagel, the promising flank-cum-lock.

“He’s in the same position as Vince… he’s got six to eight weeks to be back and we don’t want to rush him into action,” said Van den Berg.

The Lions’ next URC assignment, following their defeat at home to the Sharks last weekend, is against the Bulls, also at Ellis Park this weekend.

Van den Berg said the team would probably stay the same, depending on a few niggles among the players. The Bulls are also coming off a defeat, to the Stormers, something Van den Berg said would make Jake Whitee’s men a dangerous proposition.

“They lost at Loftus and will be hurting. They’re going to come at us to prove themselves.”