John Dobson offers cautious Frans Malherbe update: He’s running, but not scrumming

By SABC Sport
25th January 2026

Springbok scrumming machine Frans Malherbe, who's been out of action since April 2025, has suffered another setback in his recovery.

The double Rugby World Cup-winning front-rower has been recovering from a back injury that threatened his career and resulted in him missing the entirety of the 2025 international season.

There have been fears that the 34-year-old would not recover from the injury, but Stormers boss John Dobson says that the prop is still working his way back to full fitness. However, Malherbe has suffered another setback on his road to returning to action.

"Frans reminded me very directly this week he's doing rehab every day, which he is," Dobson told reporters when asked for an update on the veteran prop.

"He's made a lot of progress with the neck and the back, but he's actually just got another setback with his hip. They're not sure if it's related.

"He's not changing direction yet, but he's running at full speed and that's normally a month or two. But he's rehabbing properly. It's all about the nerve and the pain. He's not scrumming yet, so he's not certain. But from the running and his general shape, he's looking good."

In his absence, Zachary Porthen has broken into the Stormers set-up and subsequently the Springboks squad, with the youngster making his Test debut against Japan in November. Fellow Bok Neethling Fouche has also filled Malherbe's void in the starting XV.