Is Whiteley's career over?

NEWS: The career of former Springbok skipper Warren Whiteley may be over at 32 - according to reports.

South African media outlets are reporting that Whiteley’s knee - which plagued him in 2019 - is set to rule him out of Super Rugby in 2020.

Whitely underwent knee surgery earlier this year.

According to Netwerk 24, Lions Rugby Company Chairperson Altmann Allers told them that he was unlikely to play in next year’s southern hemisphere competition.

With Whitely having not played since May, many fear such a lengthy term on the sidelines could spell the end of the career for the former Springbok back row.

His most recent injury problems started when he tore his pectoral muscle during the Lions 17-19 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town in February.

Whiteley returned to lead the Lions to a 23-17 victory over the Chiefs in Hamilton in April, but he then injured his knee and missed the 10-36 defeat against the Crusaders.

Whiteley made a return to the playing field once again when he led the Johannesburg based side to a 29-28 victory against the Waratahs in May.

He did not manage to recover from the knee injury and the severe pain kept him out of the Lions next two games against the Highlanders and the Sharks. To make matters worse for Whiteley he also suffered a bout of kidney stones during the period.