Springbok flank Pieter-Steph du Toit is only 27. He’s been South African rugby player of the year three times, he’s won a junior and senior World Cup, captained the Springboks and is the current World Player of the Year.

Those credentials, fortunately, can be built upon in the coming years thanks to the quick thinking of Stormers doctor Jason Suter.

The physician, who returned to the Stormers’ set-up in 2020 after leaving the union to pursue other interests in 2016, was on hand when Du Toit went down with what looked a “routine” blow to the leg in the second half of the clash, which the Stormers lost 33-14.

“He had a medical emergency after the Blues game,” Suter said. “He had a haematoma that developed into an acute compartment syndrome. It’s incredibly rare – there have been only 43 (cases) listed in the literature (worldwide),” Suter said.

“It’s a medical emergency because if you don’t pick it up early the patient loses blood supply to the leg and they could lose the leg.

“Within 15 minutes of him coming off the field and assessing him, we realised that he was at risk of this particular rare condition. He was taken straight to Vincent Pallotti (hospital, in Pinelands, Cape Town) where he had a vascular surgeon waiting, and he was operated on that night.

“It’s very unusual, very rare, but they had to cut through the muscle to release the pressure and they were only able to close that leg 10 days after his initial injury.”

Stormers coach John Dobson praised Suter’s quick thinking and experience in identifying the potential problem. 

“Doc deserves enormous credit for Pieter-Steph. Had a rugby player lost his leg it would have been devastating for the game. And if it wasn’t for the timely intervention then I think (he could have lost his leg)… almost half of the 43 reported cases had resulted in that.”

Suter confirmed that Du Toit will be sidelined for a further three months while also revealing a raft of new injuries that have flattened many of the 2019 World Cup-winning members of the Stormers squad.

Prop Steven Kitshoff tore a pectoral muscle against the Sharks in Durban last week and is likely to be out for four months following surgery. Scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies fractured his fibula in the same match, which the Stormers lost 24-14. Remarkably he played on for nearly a minute with the broken leg.

Bok captain Siya Kolisi and hooker Bongi Mbonambi are also recovering from long-term injuries.

“Siya Kolisi is recovering really well. He is four weeks away from return-to-play,” Suter said. “His was a 10- to 12-week injury – a Grade 3 medial collateral ligament tear.

“Bongi tore off his hamstring, that was a surgical case and at this stage he is on track, he’s doing well. However, it was a severe injury and he is expected to be out – from the time of injury – for between four and five months.”

The extent of these injuries and their impact on the Stormers’ campaign might be moot in light of the coronavirus and its impact on the global sporting calendar.

Super Rugby has been suspended indefinitely as a precaution to control the spread of the virus and, given the fluid and unpredictable nature of the global pandemic, it is unlikely to resume in the near future. DM