Indeed, huge blow for the Bok and Spies, who looked a top top player. It has been reported that he may never play again for the clotting is possibly hereditary- Spies father, a former Transvaal wing back died of heart attack at a relatively young age.
From SuperSport
"
According to Springbok coach Jake White, the medical team have explained that blood clotting means that Spies’s blood is abnormally thick, and this leads to clotting. If it clots goes into his brain while training or playing he will have a stroke, and he would have a heart attack if it goes into his heart.
Spies became aware of the problem when he started coughing up blood after a training session in Cape Town. Scans later revealed that he had clots on both lungs."
http://www.superrugby.co.za/default....gby/springboks