A number of senior players are missing from the Bok team announced by head coach Rassie Erasmus to face Scotland.
Springbok locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager are both injured, with De Jager nearing a return to play while Etzebeth will hopefully be back in August. Picture: Steve Haag – Nations Championship via Getty Images
Springbok lock enforcer Eben Etzebeth has been ruled out of the Nations Championship due to concussion, and will hopefully be back in action in early August ahead of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks.
On Monday, Bok coach Rassie Erasmus named his team to face Scotland at Loftus on Saturday, missing a number of senior players, including Etzebeth and captain Siya Kolisi, who were both originally named in the team that beat England in their Nations Championship opener last weekend.
However, both were then late withdrawals; Etzebeth after he was concussed earlier in the week in training and Kolisi after he strained his hamstring in Friday’s practice run.
In the match, prop Ox Nché then went off early with a knee injury and hybrid star André Esterhuizen went off with concussion in the second half, making it an expensive week of injuries.
With Etzebeth having missed out for an extended period due to concussion a couple of times before, previously when he played for Toulon in France and most recently for the Sharks late last year, the Boks are taking no chances with him and are playing it safe.
Return against Wales
Kolisi is, however, expected to be back for the Wales game in Durban next week, along with a few other players, while Nché has joined the longer term injury list and is expected to return in time to face the All Blacks in August.
“Eben needs some proper time off because of concussion, and he has a history of concussion, so I don’t think Eben will play in these incoming matches (with Wales next up next weekend),” said Erasmus at the team announcement press conference.
“We are targeting (the one-off Test against) Argentina (in early August) for Eben’s return. The same goes for Sous (Franco Mostert).
“Lood (de Jager) might be ready next week for the Wales game in Durban … he is closer than the others. Ethan (Hooker) could also be available. Siya will also be ready next week.
“Ox Nché, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Morne van den Berg should all be ready about three weeks before New Zealand arrive (in mid-August).”
Springbok team
Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe, Jesse Kriel, Damian Willemse, Canan Moodie, Handré Pollard, Embrose Papier, Evan Roos, Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain), Paul de Villiers, Ruan Nortjé, Cobus Wiese, Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar, Boan Venter.
Bench: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zach Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Vincent Tshituka, Elrigh Louw, Grant Williams, Quan Horn
