Skinstad ignored Bok medical advice
Stormers rugby coach Gert Smal said Bobby Skinstad would not be rushed back into action.
The player was on Monday ruled out for three months after an operation on his shoulder.
Skinstad could easily have been half-way through rehabilitation had the operation been done soon after he injured the shoulder in the Springboks' test defeat against England in November.
The injury kept Skinstad out of the Springboks' final test on tour, against the United States in Houston.
"The medical report we received from the Springboks said he should go for tests when he returned (from the tour). But Bobby said he was fine and he didn't think the injury was was that serious," Smal said.
"But we sent him for scans and ultimately the scope. He will have to sit out his time. It is the player's responsibility (to say if he's not feeling well)," the coach added.
Smal said Skinstad's absence would open the way for other young loose forwards to come through and take their place in the side for the upcoming Super 12 competition.
"We will miss Bobby because he and Corne (Krige) work well together as a combination. But at the same time we want to see the others in the side work their way to the starting line-up," Smal said.
The Stormers are in George for a week-long camp, concentrating on fitness and conditioning with the occasional full-on practice match thrown in.
"The players look good, some are not in shape but the camp is there to sort out these things and to determine where we are at," the coach said.
The Stormers will play three warm-up matches in Wellington, George and Pretoria before their opening Super 12 game against the Sharks in Durban at the end of February.
Stormers warm-up schedule of 2002:
January 28: v Boland, Wellington
February 2: v Fifth Super 12 side, George
February 8: v Bulls, Pretoria
Stormers Super 12 fixtures for 2002:
February 22: v Sharks, Durban
March 2: v NSW Waratahs, Newlands
March 8: v Wellington Hurricanes, Newlands
March 16: v Otago Highlanders, Newlands
March 23: v ACT Brumbies, Newlands
March 31: bye
April 6: v Queensland Reds, Brisbane
April 12: v Canterbury Crusaders, Christchurch
April 20: v Waikato Chiefs, Hamilton
April 26: v Auckland Blues, Auckland
May 4: v Cats, Johannesburg
May 11: v Bulls, Newlands
May 18: Semi-finals
May 25: Final