Spies fighting generational killer
1 Aug 2007
Pierre Spies could have inherited more than just his prodigious talent from his late father. He could well have inherited a rare blood disease that killed him.
Pierre Spies senior, a sensational wing for Northern Transvaal, died of a heart attack when he was just 54. Spies’ grandfather died of the illness, while his aunt also has the “thrombolitic” blood condition.
Mike Greenaway of The Mercury reports that Spies was unaware that he may have inherited the problem until he started coughing up blood during last week’s training camp in Cape Town. Scans at a Durban hospital on Tuesday showed he had clots on both lungs.
“Of course it is a setback,” coach Jake White said. “Pierre is one of those unique players who can turn a game on its head with a spectacular try from 60m out. He is the kind of player that is priceless at a World Cup. That great try he scored against England earlier this year sums up what he could have done for us in France.”
Team doctor Yussuf Hassan on Tuesday explained to White in layman’s terms what had happened to Spies.
“Basically his blood is thick, the doctor told me,” White said. “If it clots and goes into his brain while he is training he will have a stroke. If the clot goes into his heart he will have a heart attack. He is now on medication to thin his blood over a period of six months and his blood will be closely monitored.
“He can run and train in the gym but he cannot take contact, because if he gets bruised his blood will clot. So while he looks like a race horse, he cannot play contact sport.”
White said the players, especially his Bulls teammates, were shocked and down after the news of Spies’ withdrawal.
“There was a message in this, though, to the players in that we are all lucky to be fit and part of a World Cup, but that it is a fragile assurance, and you could wake up in the morning and it is gone,” he said.
“We said an emotional farewell to Pierre and on the morning he left. We want him to come to our farewell banquet. I don’t want any player to think he is forgotten when he gets injured.”
388 Comments
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2 Aug 2007, 05:56 am
Pietman, sal so maak. Hoe meer ouens hoe beter, veral vir 2011 as die Bokke in North Harbour gaan speel, Dan beter Spies sy klnonte uitgegooi he!
2 Aug 2007, 06:03 am
Ek dink daar sal niks beter wees in die wereld as om die WC hier midde AB land weg te dra nie, die prys bo alles!
2 Aug 2007, 06:03 am
dankie petoors,jy spaar my baie geld.sal my afsprake met my sielkundige vir die maand kanseleer.
2 Aug 2007, 06:06 am
Real tragedy this for Spies,such a young man with so much skill and obviously doing what he loves.
Well, as someone else said,they were saying the same things about Schalk.
2 Aug 2007, 06:08 am
Pietman
Jy het mail!
2 Aug 2007, 06:08 am
Fern, dink RP is ‘n goeie sielkundige, kan een van daai valiants met fur op die dash met os op die voordeur optel en met haar gaan gesels!
2 Aug 2007, 06:09 am
Yip Manly but the potential difference is that Schalk could be fixed. If this is hereditary as the expect there is not a lot that can be done.
We will know better by next week…
2 Aug 2007, 06:10 am
Bos
Too complicated to check floor plans & follow this, so left you boys to it
I see Manly & Koos are still planning how to get away from Os once he finds out what they have been up to …
2 Aug 2007, 06:10 am
petoors,ek negatief oor alles van nz?ek is mal oor christchurch en het dit al baie hier genoem.
die abel tasman park is een van die mooiste plekke waar ek al was.
tui is n moerse bier.
l&p is flippen lekker.
so die meisies is lelik.dis wat ek met my eie oge gesien het.dis my opinie.my opinie is eendag gevra deur gbs en ek het hom geantwoord toe kak al die kiwi’s in hul rokke.
2 Aug 2007, 06:12 am
My friend is a physio, he said his condition is managable, fact is, it usually is inheritable, but it is NOT proven yet. He will miss the game, expect him back soon.
2 Aug 2007, 06:17 am
RP, worked out the 29′s yet?
2 Aug 2007, 06:19 am
# 353 plesier ou grootvoel( deelteken op die e ) – moet net nie ons selfmoordsyfer verder opstoot nie
# 359 jy weet goed ek verwys na jou pos van ‘n paar dae gelede
2 Aug 2007, 06:20 am
Koos – No still have too many
2 Aug 2007, 06:21 am
Phone him and kuk on his head again…sure he will listen!
2 Aug 2007, 06:24 am
petoors maar dankie vir jou morele insette.jy het my foute uitgewys en dit is edel,het jy enige wenke hoe ek myself kan verbeter?
2 Aug 2007, 06:25 am
Ok, I will tell him you said it was okay … Do you have a contact number for him to forward the abuse to you on ?
2 Aug 2007, 06:28 am
Weereens ‘n groot plesier. Ek los die wenke maar vir jou sielkundige – hy moet darem sy geld verdien.
2 Aug 2007, 06:32 am
RP, they were just talking about how nice and good looking kiwi girls are, and about spies off-course.
2 Aug 2007, 06:33 am
Just wait, I’ll get you AJ’s number quickly…
2 Aug 2007, 06:38 am
!
2 Aug 2007, 06:42 am
Good morning Rugby Princess hope you have a awesome day.Sheesh I would love to go on a picnic with you today.Lying on a blanket,sipping l&p watching the clouds go by,whispering sweet nothings in your left ear,playing with your flaming locks,breathing your beauty in and then losing my breath from its overwhelming vastness.
2 Aug 2007, 06:45 am
Fern
You outdo yourself …
2 Aug 2007, 06:47 am
jeez Fern which book did you get that from? hehe
2 Aug 2007, 06:48 am
Bos
Sure they are .. I have heard Fern’s opinion of NZ girls before
2 Aug 2007, 06:53 am
Never got to the Other Side, did he, would’ve changed opinion don ya think?
2 Aug 2007, 06:54 am
Poor Spies – although to get as far as he has at such a young age he is clearly not intimidated by a challenge so when he puts this behind him & is again enjoying good health he will just start wearing his knickers on the outside & don a cape.
Interestingly it was reported in every NZ sports paper /web site that he had a battle & what a great chap he is & yet I did not see it reported once in Oz – they are so insular.
2 Aug 2007, 06:55 am
AB
Dankie man, maak so!
Petoors
Jy GBS gekry oor die wildtuin storie?
2 Aug 2007, 07:08 am
Pietman dankie
Nou dat jy dit noem, nee ek het nie. Hulle het mos die thread oor gepos en al die vorige posts verwyder. Was toe nie seker of iemand my post gesien het nie.
GBS kan jy dit asb weer pos?
2 Aug 2007, 07:08 am
Hello Princess,you know I always had your back.
Because you run faster than me.
2 Aug 2007, 07:10 am
Manly
I am pretty sure I can drive faster than you at least … Got the tickets to prove it 8)
2 Aug 2007, 07:10 am
RP yes it was reported here on all our papetrs. Get your facts right Sheila! Hey klomp pomp jy klink amper soos ‘n Aussie pollie.Waar is jy nou woonagtig.Hi Koos.Dis farking warm op kantoor so I go outside for a few smokos.Crickey we should organise a get togwether somewhere,Koos,Pietman Fern etc and we get Dawn to do a table top dance!Reckon such a gathering particularly during the WC would be great fun. The venue is dependent on where the majority resides. Expressions of interest to aussiejoe08@yahoo.com
2 Aug 2007, 07:15 am
AJ
Not one I could find & save you anachronistic Aussie colloquialisms !
2 Aug 2007, 07:16 am
rather
Your anachronistic Aussie colloquialisms !
God I hate typos when I am busy being superior !
2 Aug 2007, 07:17 am
Princess,
Have you ever been to South Africa?.if you do 160 they chase you out of the fast lane.
2 Aug 2007, 07:26 am
Princess you sound so hot when you get critical.Dont you think its a good idea of us bloggers gathering somewhere to watch WC rugby either in Aus or NZ.What a piss up that will be!
2 Aug 2007, 07:31 am
Could be dangerous Aussiejoe!
2 Aug 2007, 07:33 am
Talking about a piss up, it’s beer o’clock…..I’m off to the local…..cheers guys and gals
2 Aug 2007, 07:34 am
Aussielongjoe, do you have one of those P Labs in the backyard? Make the venue your place, do you have a flatscreen for WC, might make it your place then!
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