The Rugby Championship
Burger ruled out for rest of the year
ESPN Staff
August 7, 2012
Schalk Burger looks to evade a tackle, New Zealand v South Africa, Tri-Nations, Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, July 10, 2010
Flanker Schalk Burger will play no part in this year's Rugby Championship © Getty Images
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Schalk Burger's hopes of playing a part in South Africa's Rugby Championship campaign have been crushed with the news that he has been ruled out of action for the rest of the year.

The 29-year-old injured his knee on Super Rugby duty with the Stormers back in February and his likely return date still remains unclear due to problems with his rehabilitation. He missed the recent Test series victory over England and was later omitted from the Springboks' squad for the opening two games of the Rugby Championship.

Any hope of Burger adding to his 68 Test caps in the near future have since been dismissed by Stormers coach Allister Coetzee who does not expect to see him back playing until next year. "The position with Schalk is very frustrating and we are going to get a full assessment shortly from a physician on where it should be taken from here but you can take it as read that we won't see Schalk play before the end of this season," Coetzee told Supersport. "Without even looking at the physician's report, we are writing him off for the year."

"There is a possibility he may have to undergo minor surgery to clean the whole thing out again, or the other possibility is that he just does nothing for a while in the hope that the rest will enable the injury to cure itself. From my experience as a player I know there are times when it helps to just get away from rugby and not put the affected area under any pressure."

South Africa, who will also be withouth the in-form JP Pietersen for the next 6-8 weeks due to a thumb injury, kick off their Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina in Cape Town on August 18.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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