Schickerling surgery successful

After experiencing a severe neck injury against the Blue Bulls, Western Province Under-21 lock JD Schickerling underwent successful surgery to decompress his spinal cord.

He will undergo a second operation soon to fuse the vertebrae and stabilise the neck.

As reported at the weekend, Schickerling is expected to make a full recovery in due course and WP Rugby will continue to support the player and his family during his recovery.

* Meanwhile the Blue Bulls Company (Pty) Ltd said Monday they would like to wish two players who suffered serious neck injuries at weekend, the best of luck with a speedy recovery.

Schickerling and Dyllan Beneckhe both suffered the injuries at the weekend.

Schickerling was injured playing for the WP U21 team against their Bulls counterparts at Loftus Versfeld.

Beneckhe was injured playing for Tukkies Youth Club against Harlequins in a Under-16 league match.

Both players are being treated at the Little Company of Mary Hospital in Groenkloof, Pretoria.

The High Performance Manager at the BBC, Xander Janse van Rensburg, extended his good wishes to the players and their families.

He has visited Schickerling in hospital and spoke to the parents of Beneckhe.

"Injuries are part and parcel of rugby, an unfortunate reality, and a neck injury is probably the worst thing that can happen to a player on the rugby field," Janse van Rensburg said.

We would like to wish the families of the two players and the players themselves all the best of luck as they make their way to a full recovery, furthermore we would like to assure them that they are in our thoughts and prayers."

Blue Bulls Currie Cup captain Deon Stegmann visited the injured players in hospital.

Injured Bulls captain Pierre Spies on Twitter also requested rugby supporters to pray for the speedy recovery of the two players.