MHR: After his concussion, Paul Willemse stopped for three months, his future not yet decided

Paul Willemse n’a joué que deux rencontres cette saison avec le MHR. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

Victime d’une commotion le 5 octobre dernier au Stade Français, la sixième en un peu plus d'un an, Paul Willemse devrait être arrêté les trois prochains mois, au minimum.

No end to Paul Willemse's career. At least, not right away. Victim of his sixth concussion in a year against Stade Français on Saturday October 5th, following a virulent but correct tackle by JJ Van der Mescht (9th), the MHR second row (32 years old) met with Dr. Brauge, a specialist in the field.

A new three-month break has been recommended, as after April 7th, the date of his head shock against Ulster, which also cost him a five-week suspension. So putting away his boots is not on the agenda for the colossus from Pretoria (2m, 130 kg).

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

“This is a subject that will come much later. There are more immediate issues to address, such as assessing the severity of the concussion and establishing what can be done to help the patient get better. This is a reflection that will take several weeks depending on how it progresses”, Dr. Brauge explained to L’Equipe.

Contract ends in June 2025

In an interview with Midi Libre on October 1, Willemse confided this: “This year is pivotal for me. Either everything is going well, I play matches after matches and that's the best. Or it's a second option, and I'll stop playing rugby if I get another KO.” For now, it's time for moderation.

The future remains unclear for Paul Willemse. At the end of his contract in June 2025, the year he turns 33, the player might be tempted to quit. A return to South Africa to play is also “a possibility” , he confided. But he said that before this new shock.

If rugby stops, what will he do?? “Since I was 19, I've tried to be smart with my money. I put some money aside, made investments. But I'm not going to retire at 32 and be quiet. I'll have to choose a direction. Business ? Coaching ? I don't know. But when I stop, I'll take a big break. No one will talk to me about rugby for a while (smile)“, he confided. The word is therefore simple: patience.

In the meantime, the MHR staff will have to deal with the excellent Tyler Duguid and the confirmed Bastien Chalureau as a pure number 5. Yacouba Camara, Florian Verhaeghe, Janse Van Rensburg and Marco Tauleigne should also be called upon.