Rugby: Whitelock recovering well from surgery

Crusaders flanker George Whitelock has had keyhole surgery on his injured knee and is making a good recovery.

Whitelock had surgery last Tuesday and was to see the specialist again today.

A cartilage problem had `locked' Whitelock's knee during the Crusaders' first training run in South Africa and he had to fly back to Christchurch from Durban without playing a match.

Whitelock said the swelling had gone down and the knee was feeling a lot better.

"I'm walking around as good as gold but I've got to take it easy for another week to let the swelling go down further," he said today.

He hopes to return for the Crusaders before the end of the season.

Another making a good recovery from injury is prop Ben Franks, who had a stress fracture in a foot which was operated on recently.

- NZPA