Hendre Fourie, the flanker for the England national team and the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union side the Sale Sharks will have to endure an agonizing wait for 6 weeks after which, he will know if he can continue with the game or if he has to draw a line on his professional career.
The flanker has already undergone two major operations and still, his shoulder was troubling him and after undergoing a minor surgery last week, the club doctors have asked him not to put any pressure on it at all for the time being.
Everyone is hoping that by the end of next month, there is some positive news regarding the rehabilitation of the extremely affable man, lovingly called Shrek by his team mates. However, according to Bryan Redpath, the Director of Rugby of the Sale Sharks has admitted that the player might just be looking at the end of his professional career. And that would indeed be devastating news for Fourie, who was on the verge of being called up to the England squad for the Rugby World Cup last year when the injury struck.
And not only for the player, the club will also be affected hugely if this is indeed the end of the line for the South African born winger, who has played just 14 minutes for The Sharks since he signed from Leeds Carnegie at the end of the 2011 season. According to Redpath, Fourie is out of action till November, after which the club will have a scan and assess the injury, adding that there is no chance of him returning before that.
The Sale Sharks are hopeful that his body will heal, but they are also preparing themselves for a discussion in November if the outcome of the scan doesn’t show any positives.