Springbok No 8 Pierre Spies has been ruled out of The Rugby Championship due to an injury he sustained playing Super Rugby last month.
SA Rugby
Spies, who played in his 50th Test against England in Port Elizabeth in June, injured his left ring finger in the Super Rugby Qualifier against the Crusaders last month.
According to Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts, initial X-rays did not reveal any significant abnormality.
“However, on review and further investigation, including a CT scan and assessment by a hand specialist in Cape Town, it was found that Pierre had a fracture into the joint,” said Roberts.
“Surgical correction is needed in order to prevent permanent damage. The usual rehabilitation time for these kinds of injuries is eight to 12 weeks.”
At this stage, Spies will not be replaced in the Springbok squad currently preparing for the opening Test of The Rugby Championship, on Saturday at Newlands, against Argentina.
“We have faith in the players in the squad and will consider the call-up of a possible replacement at a later stage,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“Losing Pierre is obviously a setback, because he is the most experienced member of our forward pack, but we will never take any risks with injured players.
Injuries are part of the game and this now provides an opportunity for someone else to stake a claim.”
Spies joins four other Springbok loose forwards that are currently not available for selection. Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and Heinrich Brüssow are injured, while Ryan Kankowski is not available because of club commitments in Japan.
Furthermore another player that was in the selection frame, Duane Vermeulen, will only return to action for Western Province in the Currie Cup this weekend after a four-month layoff because of a knee injury.
Lock forward Eben Etzebeth took full part in training on Tuesday.
The Springbok team for the first Test will be named on Wednesday.
58 @ Puma:He has 20 Bok caps, so he has had his fair share of chances. Like you said, he is not in the squad so there is little use in talking about him. [and his crap hairdo]
59 @ Bullscot:Schalk Brits? Just because he is the best hooker in Europe, doesn’t mean that he is good enough to make the Kings starting 15.
I’m not on the Schalk Britz train. I favor bigger hookers, those who do the basics best, namely scrummaging and lineouts. Britz was always crap at both. I just don’t think that his progress can be properly measured unless he comes back here and plays a season. Compare him to the local alternatives, who in my opinion are still better.
Tiaan wont get game time unless we have major injuries, Bismark will obviously start and Strauss will be on the bench. As it should be.
62 @ Loosehead:
Don’t think he necessarily is the best hooker in Europe Loosehead but in current circumstances think he could add value to the Bok squad but maybe its too late for him at international level, a pity more use wasn’t made of his talent in SA earlier in career. Had just mentioned his name as at Liebenberg’s age I can’t see him being in the long term Bok plans so there in Brits you have a man of similar age with loads of experience who maybe could do a job in the short term
63 @ Stormersboy:
You are on the same wave length as the Bok coach there regarding size Stormersboy, but I think it all depends on the whole composition of the pack and how and when in the game you intend to utilize a player, if there are a few ‘lighter’ players perhaps at lock and loose forward then yes I guess you would want a bigger hooker, but a guy like Brits could have added a lot of value coming off the bench. Agree that throwing in at lineouts properly is a must for hookers but have seen many of the top big international hookers having nightmare days with their throwing in. The scrums are a mess anyway and there is a lot more time these days with play involving rucks and mauls so one could still find place for the less large mobile hooker if his allround play was good enough. Don’t know if you saw the Aviva Premiership final the year before last that Saracens won, Brits played a massive part in that win for Saracens, especially later in the game when you would have thought a smaller player would begin to struggle, his defence was amazing. Interesting comparison between him and Craig Burden – they are listed at same weight 100kg with Burden 2cm taller than Brits, although have heard the Burden is very strong.
super @ 16
“I dont like the Bok game plan.”
..
well
i dont like loosehead and bdb!! 😀
..
morning everyone!!
66 @ ashley:
How are you doing man? Are you happy to have Liebenberg in the Boks or sad because it weakens WP more for the game against Griquas and its not as if Liebenberg will play this weekend?
Hello Ashley, is dit nie al middag daar by julle
66 @ ashley: you don’t like me? SWAK!
Springboks team announced (according to espn):
Zane Kirchner, Lwazi Mvovo, Jean de Villiers (captain), Frans Steyn, Bryan Habana, Morné Steyn, Francois Hougaard, Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Andries Bekker, Marcell Coetzee, Willem Alberts, Keegan Daniel
Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Pat Cilliers, Flip van der Merwe, Jacques Potgieter, Ruan Pienaar, Pat Lambie, JJ Engelbrecht
Springbok team announced:
The Springbok team to face Argentina in Cape Town is:
15. Zane Kirchner (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 15 caps
14. Lwazi Mvovo (The Sharks) 4 caps
13. Jean de Villiers (captain, DHL Western Province) 75 caps
12. Frans Steyn (The Sharks) 49 caps
11. Bryan Habana (DHL Western Province) 77 caps
10. Morné Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 37 caps
9. Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 18 caps
8. Keegan Daniel (The Sharks) 3 caps
7. Willem Alberts (The Sharks) 11 caps
6. Marcell Coetzee (The Sharks) 3 caps
5. Andries Bekker (DHL Western Province) 24 caps
4. Eben Etzebeth (DHL Western Province) 3 caps
3. Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks) 33 caps
2. Bismarck du Plessis (vice-captain, The Sharks) 45 caps
1. Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks) 35 caps
Replacements
16. Adriaan Strauss (Toyota FS Cheetahs) 12 caps
17. Pat Cilliers (MTN Golden Lions) uncapped
18. Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 14 caps
19. Jacques Potgieter (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 1 cap
20. Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, Northern Ireland) 54 caps
21. Pat Lambie (The Sharks) 13 caps
22. JJ Engelbrecht (Vodacom Blue Bulls) uncapped
69 @ Bullscot:
You beat me to it…haha.
bullscot @ 67
ja wragtag, sien toe ek d comment gemaak het was dit al laaaaaankal middag!!!
loosehead @ 68
was so ñ (flouerige) kaapse grappie, hehehehe
Pleased to see a all Sharks Loose Trio. Like to keep combinations. It makes sesne.
Congrats Keegan on getting to start. Go show em what you can do. You deserve this start.
Congrats to Mvovo getting to start too and Cilliers on the bench. Also congrats to Fransie this will be his 50th cap coming up on Saturday.
Would not have had Potgieter on the bench would have had Kolisi.
Good luck Bokke.
73 @ Puma:
meant = sense
71 @ Puma:
Snap mate, have hurriedly put up a separate thread on the team. Thought that you would like the starting loose forwards chosen. Pity for Kolisi he doesn’t get to debut on his home ground. Go BOKS!!!
I think pretty much as expected, no surprises, I would also have preferred to see Kolisi on the bench instead of Potgieter. This will probably be the Boks easiest game, so have a look at Kolisi at international level in this game rather than throw him in the deep end against the ABs later. On the other hand might be OK to give him his first game against the Aussies
@ Puma:
Okaaaay!
Just got back from the office and saw Heyneke played our choice loose trio!
Way to go Keegan!
Hope that spider sting will be healed come Saturday, I want to see you burn that Newlands pitch like you did last time out, way to go boykie!!
I am beginning to like Heyneke more and more…..but he should have started with Pienaar.
Keegan didn’t impress me last time out for the Boks, and I’m not sure what well learn against the Argies this time either. You could play almost any of 12 loose forwards at 8 and it wont make any difference, the real test will come against the antipodeans.
Good luck to him though, Ill be shouting bokke all the way.
That will eliminate the huge gap in the South African defence
@ Stormersboy:
So you are saying the Los Pumas forwards are crap? We are talking about a team here that beat France with their 2nd stringers.
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