Ex-South Africa fly-half Derick Hougaard is back at home as he continues his recovery from respiratory pneumonia.
Hougaard has been in hospital since June 10 after being found unresponsive by his wife, singer Nadine.
The 40-year-old was given a 50 per cent chance of waking from his coma but a week-and-a-half ago he opened his eyes and was responding to medical staff.
Still a long way to go
He has continued to improve and on Friday was released from the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria, but remains in an “extremely weak” condition.
“I can’t believe it, it’s been very rough,” his wife Nádine told Rapport.
“He is not out and about, but he is at home. He is, at the moment, extremely weak and can’t really hold a conversation, as his vocal cords are still swollen.”
Hougaard is on medication and still requires the use of an oxygen machine, something he will need for the next few weeks.
Appeared at the 2003 World Cup
The former playmaker featured eight times for the Springboks between 2003 and 2007, making his debut at the ’03 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
He would go on to play five times at the global tournament, but appearances after that were sparse with his last international coming against New Zealand in July ‘07.
Hougaard began his professional career at the Bulls before he moved to the northern hemisphere where he played for Leicester Tigers and Saracens in the English Premiership.
READ MORE: Former Springbok Derick Hougaard ‘off ventilators and breathing on his own’
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