Pieter-Steph’s pain, Franco’s gain – injury forces a change in Bok squad
Pieter-Steph du Toit has been withdrawn from the Springbok squad after a scan revealed on Monday that he has suffered a grade two hamstring tear over the weekend.
Pieter-Steph du Toit has been withdrawn from the Springbok squad after a scan revealed on Monday that he has suffered a grade two hamstring tear over the weekend.
Thomas du Toit was en route from France to Nagoya, Japan, on Monday after being called up as an injury replacement to the Springbok Rugby World Cup squad.
The character shown by a team full of inexperienced players and some tactical changes on the field were two of the main reasons Rassie Erasmus felt the Springboks managed to overturn a significant deficit to beat England by 42-39 in the opening Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series at Emirates Airline Park.
Only one player has been dropped from the team that played against Australia – the 95-cap veteran Beast Mtawarira – for the game against the All Blacks.
Franco Mostert and Jean-Luc du Preez are back in the Springbok starting team for Saturday’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks.
You’d expect the Bok side to be loaded with Lions players. However just seven Lions players made the cut. Warren Whiteley is injured and Ruan Dreyer, Ruan Combrinck, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Faf de Klerk – all previous Springboks – are out of favour.
Experienced flyhalves Handré Pollard and Lionel Cronjé are amongst 14 players invited to a Springbok medical and conditioning assessment camp, which will be held in Stellenbosch next week.
The Springboks are still struggling to infuse, and centrally involve, sufficient numbers of players of colour to provide solid assurance that their “50 percent black” plan for the 2019 World Cup is an attainable goal.
Sharks prop Coenie Oosthuizen will join the Springboks as an extra front row cover following the withdrawal of Trevor Nyakane, who is struggling with an ankle injury.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee applauded the fighting spirit of his team, following the remarkable comeback that saw the team snatch a 32-26 win over Ireland in the second of three Tests.