Will Schalk ever make a return?

The mystery surrounding the fitness of Springbok and Stormers flank Schalk Burger deepened this week when coach Allister Coetzee said the likelihood of the 29-year- old playing for the Stormers this year was "0%".

Burger has been out of the game for over a year after tearing knee ligaments in round one of last year's Super 15.

He underwent two knee surgeries in 2012 and was expected to return to action in time for the opening game of the current campaign in February.

Coetzee even made Burger squad captain for the season, a clear indication that the coaching staff believed he was ready to play.

But now, six weeks on from what was a "torn calf muscle", there is still no sign of Burger and with each passing week it looks increasingly unlikely that he will play again this season - if ever.

"Everybody is keen to know what's going on. Schalk will be reassessed in two to three weeks, which would be just before we tour," Coetzee said.

"He hasn't played a game for a long time and he isn't able to train to the intensity we demand, so until then we will have to wait.

"As he is now, his chance of playing for the Stormers this year is at 0%, but after three more weeks we can assess again.

"If the results are positive then he could possibly tour. I don't want Schalk back until he's 100% fit and running on a treadmill at full capacity before he gets back on a training field.

"He definitely tore his calf muscle but the problem currently is that it's not the same injury. There is another tear in a different muscle. It's frustrating but that's the nature of the beast and Schalk is just as frustrated as us."

In February, soon after his calf muscle injury, Burger spoke of his determination to get back and looked relaxed and calm. He didn't appear to be a man whose career was in jeopardy.

"With the knee injury and the setbacks that followed it, I almost had to learn to run again and in the beginning I felt really awkward," Burger said.

"It doesn't feel uncomfortable and the knee actually feels very solid, but I have some other, niggling issues at the moment.

"Ultimately you have to play rugby and you won't know how you cope and how the injury will react until you're in a match situation."