Key Stag suffers likely season-ending injury
The message is now simply 'next man up' as Southland Stags No 8 Dylan Nel recovers from a broken bone in his foot, which is expected to see him miss the rest of the NPC season.
The Southland Stags have suffered a major blow with first choice No 8 Dylan Nel suffering a likely season-ending injury.
Nel broke a bone in his foot during the Stags’ loss to Wellington in Wellington on Saturday.
Rugby Southland director of rugby Matt Saunders told The Roaring Pen podcast that Nel has been advised he will be in a cast for six weeks.
Although he added Nel was seeking a second opinion about the injury.
The 30-year-old former Otago and Chiefs No 8 was a key offseason signing for the Stags. He provided the experience and punch in attack Southland was after.
“He was just getting into his work and getting fit,” Saunders said on The Roaring Pen.
Nel and 19-year-old Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, off the bench, was viewed as an ideal one-two combination for the Stags this season at No 8.
While Nel’s playing time this season could be over Saunders said the experienced loose forward would still provide an important leadership role within the group for the remainder of the season.
The good news is Tupou Ta’eiloa has been cleared to play against Otago in the Donald Stuart Memorial Trophy clash in Dunedin on Saturday night.
Tupou Ta’eiloa was flagged by the independent doctor to undergo an HIA after replacing Nel against Wellington. He failed the assessment.
However, Saunders said no video evidence could be found to indicate Tupou Ta’eiloa had actually received a head knock and he also hasn’t had any symptoms.
He underwent an assessment this week and has now been cleared to train and play against Otago on Saturday.
While Saunders acknowledged the loss of Nel was a blow he said it was now simply a case of “next man up” and there were no excuses.
“The beauty with us this year is we are still pretty good. Semisi is fine, Blair Ryall is fine, Jacob Coghlan hasn’t even had a run and he goes good, so it’s just next man up, there’s no worries. It’s a shame but we’ll be all good.”
The performance of openside flanker Leroy Ferguson on Saturday, in what was his first start in a Southland jersey, has also been a boost in terms of confidence in the loose forward stocks.
Ferguson was arguably Southland’s best against Wellington hammering home the point that the Stags do have two quality traditional No 7s in the mix with Hayden Michaels also there.
Meanwhile, in another blow fullback Rory van Vugt has also been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with Otago.