Schickerling Back Home

JD Schickerling, the Western Province Under-21 lock who broke his neck playing against the Blue Bulls in Pretoria two weeks ago, is back home in Villiersdorp.

He under went two operations to his neck to fuse vertebrae but there never was a suggestion that he would be paralysed. At the same time it was expected that he would be in hospital in Pretoria for between three to four weeks. Instead he is home in under two weeks and has started walking already.

He said recently: “I have started walking slowly recently and I experience improvements every day, which is very encouraging."

Schickerling, whose names are John Dave but who is known mostly by his initials, is one of the most promising locks in South Africa. Those who know him believe that he is earmarked to be a Springbok, a player in the Pieter-Steph du Toit mold.

He turned 19 in May but has already played for Western Province at Under-18, Under-19, Under-21 and Vodacom Cup. He has played for South African Schools and this year for the SA Under-20 team at the Junior World Championship when England beat South Africa 21-20 in the Final.

Then along came this injury. But doctors believe that with hard work he will play again. And he believes he will play again and still dreams of becoming a Springbok.

He said: "The injury was very serious, but the doctors have managed to help me. They asked if I wanted to play rugby again, and I said yes, so I went through a second operation to insert another plate in the back of my neck.

“Right now, I'm focused on making a full recovery. I want to build my fitness and confidence again. In the long-term, I still want to play for the Springboks one day. I will never give up on that dream.”

Schickerling is grateful for all the help he has had - from the best medical care and from rugby football. When he was rushed from Loftus Versfeld to the Little Company of Mary Hospital, the president of the Western Province Rugby Union did not watch his senior side play but left hospital and went to the hospital. The union has seen to all his expenses, including flying his mother to Pretoria and putting her up in a Holiday Inn next to the hospital. In addition his sister is living in Pretoria.

In addition, the coach of the Under-21 team, John Dobson, and  the team's captain came to visit him. So did Springboks Pierre Spies, Bakkies Botha and Flip van der Merwe and Blue Bulls players who were at the Junior World Championship and there were 15 Blue Bulls in that team, including the captain Handré Pollard. And there were others, heartening for a young man battling with a turmoil of emotions.

He said: “I was overwhelmed after receiving so much support,” he said. “I appreciated it very much and it definitely has helped me to remain strong and positive."