From Broken neck to Bok call up - JD Schickerling’s incredible story

From Broken neck to Bok call up - JD Schickerling’s incredible story

2018 has already produced a number of remarkable stories of players who have overcome adversity to reach their goal of player test rugby.

From Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Folau Faingaa debut in Super Rugby and going onto feature for the Wallabies after working as garbage men last year to Karl Tuinakafe overcoming his live threating weight to star for the All Blacks. As well as Aphiwe Dyantyi almost giving up on rugby after school before becoming an instant hit with the Lions and Springboks.

Yet another remarkable story has emerged following Rassie Erasmus' squad announcement for the 2018 November Tests with the inclusion of uncapped second rower JD Schickerling.

Schickerling showed early signs of promise featuring for the SA Schools in 2012 and 2013 as well as the u20s in 2014 and was set to feature for the Stormers a year later before injury struck.

At the age of 19, Schickerling lay in a Pretoria hospital bed‚ unsure if he would walk again‚ let alone play rugby.


The prospects of a promising rugby career‚ and more importantly‚ a normal life was bleak after he was stretchered off the Loftus Versfeld pitch after sustaining a broken neck playing for Western Province U21s against the Blue Bulls.

The injury was the result of a dangerous tackle from opposite number Marvin Orie who had grabbed Schickerling around the neck while Irne Herbst‚ the Blue Bulls other lock was also involved with the the tackle.


Orie was cited after the game and received a one-week suspension‚ but it was accepted that the incident was not intentional.

Doctors told Schickerling that the break was two millimetres from paralysing him but they also asked if he would like to play rugby again because science and operating techniques could make it happen.

Schickerling would’ve been forgiven if he decided that coming away with the ability to function normally was enough and now plays with a plate in his neck, allowing him to live out his dream.

Fast forward four years and Schickerling‚ 23‚ has forced his way into the Springbok squad in arguably the most contested positions in the country. The Springboks are and have been blessed with talented second rowers over the years with a number of talented locks from Republic featuring for clubs across Europe.

Schickerling spent 16 months in rehab and made his Super Rugby debut for the Stormers in 2016 in a first-round clash against the Bulls.

The 23-year-old has earned his call-up after consistent performances in both the early stages of Super Rugby and throughout the Currie Cup in 2018 and could make his debut against England in the first game of the Springboks tour.



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