Injury blow for Cheetahs star

Sport
NATIONAL rugby team and Old Georgians fly-half Boyd Rouse faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious ankle injury at the weekend

NATIONAL rugby team and Old Georgians fly-half Boyd Rouse faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious ankle injury at the weekend, which could rule him out of the 2015 Rugby World Cup qualifiers in June.

SPORTS REPORTER

Rouse, who is used as a hooker in Sevens suffered a spiral fracture after falling awkwardly while claiming a high ball in the first half of the 12-17 quarter-final loss to Italy at the HSBC Sevens World Series qualifying competition in Hong Kong on Saturday.

He was immediately stretchered off the field of play before being replaced by Njabulo Ndlovu.

Cheetahs coach Liam Middleton told our sister paper NewsDay Sport that Rouse had been diagnosed with a spiral fracture and was a major doubt for the World Cup qualifiers to be held in Antananarivo, Madagascar from June 26 to July 6.

“Boyd Rouse suffered a spiral fracture during the Italy and I think it will be a close one if he makes it for the Sables’ World Cup qualifiers in June. He was very good at hooker during the Zimbabwe International Sevens and could have done some good things for us this weekend, but unfortunately he got injured. All we can do now is to wish him a speedy recovery,” Middleton said.

Rouse’s injury effectively rules him out of the early part of his club Old Georgians’ 2014 Lion Lager National Rugby League campaign starting on April 26.

Meanwhile, Middleton was full of praises for Stephan “Stavo” Hunduza after his breathtaking performances on his debut on the HSBC Sevens World Series.

The prolific Hunduza was the only Zimbabwe player to be named among the seven best players in the HSBC Sevens World Series qualifying competition after scoring six tries in four matches.

Middleton said the Mbare-born star’s exploits was a clear sign of the abundant talent in Zimbabwe.

“Stavo was a revelation for us. I have always maintained confidence that he could be a very good international Sevens player since watching him training over a year ago,”he said.

“Unfortunately he had a foot injury prior to the Nelson Mandela Bay sevens in Port Elizabeth last year, so I was pleased to give him his debut in Hong Kong.

“To score six tries in four games on your debut international sevens tournament is remarkable.

“He is a representative of the sevens talent we have in Zimbabwe if we are willing to back these young guys.”