Springboks: Rassie confirms two ‘longer term’ injuries
· The South African
The Springbok coaches are currently working with a 44-man group, but this squad will be split this weekend, with some players travelling to Argentina for the one-off Test on 8 August, while the rest of the players will return to their training base in Johannesburg to begin their preparations for the four-Test series against the All Blacks.
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“We’re taking 26 guys across (to Buenos Aires),” Rassie Erasmus commented. “At the end of the week we’ll make sure that no one has an injury or a niggle.”
However, with 10 players returning from a stint on the sidelines due to injury, Erasmus gave an update on the players’ availability for next weekend’s match-up against Los Pumas.
Ox Nche (knee injury) and Franco Mostert (ankle injury) are unfortunately set for a lengthier period on the sidelines, and it does appear that they might be in doubt for the start of the All Blacks’ four-Test series.
“There are only two guys who won’t be available due to longer term injuries, and they are Ox Nche and Franco Mostert,” said Erasmus.
“Apart from them, everyone is ready to play. I wouldn’t say it is ideal (that they are all returning from injury now). We would have liked the guys not to be injured and to have been able to manage their time right from the start.
“We just want to see how we get through this week; we’ve had one or two guys that have flu, which is manageable,”
Springboks assessing squad options
Erasmus is set to finalise his official Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry squad following the team’s return from Argentina.
“Then maybe we release, say Vusi (Moyo) to the Sharks, get Ntuks (Ntuthuko Mchunu) in because Ox is not 100% ready, or release Ntuks to play (for the Stormers) against the All Blacks, to give us some feedback.
“Most of the guys who played a lot of rugby will stay here, and then some guys who can’t play yet – like Ox and Franco – will stay behind. The guys who need game time – you can do the math – will go over to Argentina.”
LATEST BOK SQUAD
Props: Thomas du Toit (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Stormers), Ox Nché (Sharks), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Carlü Sadie (Bordeaux Bègles), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Boan Venter (Lions), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers).
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears).
Locks: Lood de Jager (Saitama Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Ruan Nortjé (Kubota Spears).
Loose forwards: Paul de Villiers (Stormers), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Siya Kolisi (Stormers), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Utility forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Bulls).
Scrumhalves: Herschel Jantjies (Bayonne), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morné van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Kobe Steelers).
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Vusi Moyo (Sharks), Handre Pollard (Bulls).
Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), André Esterhuizen (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Outside and utility backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Aphelele Fassi (Toshiba Brave Lupus), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Cheslin Kolbe (Stormers), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers).
Players released to play for clubs in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry:
Forwards: Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers), Evan Roos (Stormers), André-Hugo Venter (Stormers).
Backs: Jaco Williams (Sharks), Embrose Papier (Bulls).
Standby: Ruben van Heerden (Montpellier).