Lood de Jager

“It was just to get my fitness back in general, get full fitness back, and be able to push my body again, to be able to be fit enough to be able to play it, that was the biggest challenge”

“For me, it was more getting into more training than actually playing the match because I didn’t have any physical issues like a shoulder or a knee that prevented me from playing.”

“After the long lay-off, it is always tricky when you deal with these types of conditions. To get the heart rate up and stuff like that is always going to be a big worry.”

“It’s quite a weird one, playing the game wasn’t as much of a comeback as getting into full training.”

“So it was then that they picked it up, the pericarditis, so I am very thankful. It could have ended terribly”

“The tests there didn’t quite pick it up because I didn’t go for an MRI and then our team doctor was, ‘Look, let’s just make sure when we get back to South Africa that we didn’t miss anything’.”

“The tests there didn’t quite pick it up because I didn’t go for an MRI and then our team doctor was, ‘Look, let’s just make sure when we get back to South Africa that we didn’t miss anything’. So it was then that they picked it up, the pericarditis, so I am very thankful. It could have ended terribly”

“A big credit to the Springboks medical staff, It was actually misdiagnosed in Argentina because I went for the scans there, that is where I first picked up that there was an issue.”

“. I went off the field and told the doctor something was not right… Tuesday morning I just felt no good. Just stayed in my hotel until we flew back.”

“Five minutes in I felt like someone was sitting on my chest, I couldn’t breathe. I was almost suffocating, just pressure on my chest and shortness of breath. Just a very eerie feeling”

“Your heart has to work so hard every day, because you’re not quite healthy, that it builds up inflammation around the heart,Then you get the symptoms I got in Argentina”

“Those two really stand out for me, if I think about locks who can represent South Africa in the future.”

“Emile has a very good work rate, is tough, and is very good at calling the lineout, JF van Heerden at the Bulls also has a lot of promise.”

“I’m just grateful to be part of such a big rugby event.”

“It’s always big playing the All Blacks, But add the history, the stakes, the atmosphere and the fans on top of that, and it’s huge”

“I always used to look at the old guys and think, why is that guy still playing rugby at 33?Now I understand why.You still feel like you can do it”

“I had taken my health for granted,When you get heart issues, it really puts things in perspective.”

“Initially I’d walk up a flight of stairs and be out of breath. Two months later, it feels better. And eventually you’re back on the field”

“Match fitness is hard to get when you’re not a naturally fit guy, I am not the best in training, and nothing comes close to match intensity and what you need in a game”

“Every injury, as bad as it is and disappointing as it is, is just part of your journey and you must see it like that.”