Puma flyhalf Juan Martín Hernández will miss the game against South Africa next Saturday in Mendoza. He suffered a five-millimetre groin tear during today’s training session, the Argentine Rugby Union announced.

SuperSport

This is a big blow for Los Pumas going into the second round of The Rugby Championship.

His replacement, and the composition of the reserves bench, will only be confirmed on Thursday after the team flies in to Mendoza.

The new absence of the former Sharks’ player comes after his return to test rugby following three seasons in which he played no tests because of two mayor injuries that require a knee reconstruction and a back operation.

The likely replacement for Hernández should be Santiago Fernández moving in to No 10, from No 12, to the position he occupied in three Rugby World Cup 2011 games. This might also mean a rejigging of the back line, with Martín Rodríguez, who was to start at 15, moving to inside centre and Lucas González Amorosino, who had been dropped at fullback, returning as fullback to the starting side.

44 Responses to The Rugby Championship: Hernández out injured

  • 1

    South Africa – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
    Subs: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Pat Lambie, 22 JJ Engelbrecht.

  • 2

    Big, big blow for the Pumas….

  • 3

    1 @ MaakieSharksAlmalBokkeseJan:
    I expected the forwards to be like they have been chosen (Keegan Daniel did not impress). Still worried about the breakdowns though, Jacques Potgieter is not exactly a breakdown master and a bit helter skelter in his approach.

    But somehow I thought that Ruan Pienaar was in with a loud shout as starting scrummie, Hougie on the left wing.

    Seeing as Bryan Habana seems to have miraculously heeled from wearing a moon boot on Sunday to again starting at right wing this coming weekend, I suppose the backline is to be expected too.

    Still, I would have gone for Hougie in place of Mvovo and Ruan Pienaar at scrummie… for lekker fast ball down the backline and Hougie sparking things from the wing where he is more effective than at scrummie.

  • 4

    @ grootblouBokJan:

    Although i agree for the most boet, i dont rate POttie, actually i rate the other pottie

    BUt like for like?? Deysel and Josh Strauss are lightyears better than J Potgirter,

    But hey come saturday i will as usual give my full support lol

  • 5

    I thought that keegan may get the chop. He was subbed early and didn’t impress in the times I have seen him play for the Boks.

    Good luck Jacques. I personally don’t think hes much better but Id be happy to be proven wrong.

  • 6

    @ BobbejanklimdiebergStormersboySpringbokJan:

    hiyas old chap

    I see Fourie is France bound?

  • 7

    4 @ MaakieSharksAlmalBokkeseJan:
    5 @ BobbejanklimdiebergStormersboySpringbokJan:
    Siya Kolisi should have been there…. but he has not even gone to Argentina with the team, so it’s a moot point.

    Tjarkie… of course you would think Deysel is better… he’s a Shark. But as you can see, I’m also questioning Jacques Potgieter’s selection. Josh Strauss has become stale and one-dimentional… and predictable, does not pass and often dies with the ball.

  • 8

    @ MaakieSharksAlmalBokkeseJan:
    Deon??

    Eish.

    Another one.

    Brilliant.

  • 9

    @ grootblouBokJan:

    Nope Boet, l.ike i said one or the other, and like Deysel polayed last week? and he did some fetch\ing and actually plays the HM way, he would have been the right call

    the other option could have been CJ Stander at 8 with Alberts staying at 7 and coetzee at 6

  • 10

    @ grootblouBokJan:
    Ja I would have preferred him there with Potgieter on the bench, that’s just me.

  • 11

    One has to give the Sharks supporters as a collective credit, they believe unfalteringly in their Sharks players…. to the extent that every logical Bokke replacement according to them, should of course be nothing but a Sharks player, beyond any doubt.

    They WILL find a reason to moan about another Union’s player…. in order to nominate a Sharkie… at all costs.

    Some time ago I generally thought a lot of WP and Cheetahs supporters were one-eyed and biased… but there is none more biased than your run of the mill Sharkie supporter of today! I spoke to a Sharkie client today and found exactly what I complain about here, same as I read from comments on rugby365, SuperSport, Sport24 and here on out own beloved Rugby-Talk.

    In fact generally WP supporters seem quite openminded at present… well those I come into contact with.

    Of course there are the biased Blue Bulls supporters too, don’t think for a moment I don’t recognise that or that I don’t see that….

    Look, I’m not saying the Sharks players don’t deserve to be in the Springbok side, which is laden with Sharks at present… in fact I’m happy they are there in almost all the individual cases, but damnit man, when a player like Daniel, who had an ordinary game last Saturday is dropped, all I seem to hear from Sharks supporters is that it is in fact the game plan which is at fault and which causes the player not to absolutely shine… it’s Heyneke Meyer’s fault that Daniel does not reach his true potential… and bla, bla blah!

    Quite annoying, in fact….

    According to them at least Bresler, Deysel, McLeod and Jordaan can feel aggrieved not being in the broader Bokke squad…. and of course it’s such a shame that JP Pietersen is injured and Patrick Lambie should definately be in the starting lineup…

    Come on, see the wood from the trees, fellas…. eishhhh!

    By the way… it is my opinion that not too many Bulls players actually belong at the Bokke at the moment, certainly not JJ Engelbrecht, Jacques Potgieter or Jano Vermaak for that matter.

  • 12

    Luckily for South Africa we’ve got such a powerful bunch of youngsters coming through, who should really start making big calls for starting berths and higher honours.. Siya Kolisi, Arno Botha, CJ Stander, Pieter Stef du Toit, Johan Goosen, Handré Pollard, Jan Serfontein, Steven Kitshoff, Raymond Rhule… to name some of the prominent ones… and of course those youngsters already in the Bokke like Marcell Coetzee and Eben Etzebeth.

  • 13

    Looking at say a 6-year window from now… maybe a Bokke side like this one day…

    1. Steven Kitshoff — Already plays Super Rugby, soon to be a Bok
    2. Mark Pretorius
    3. Coenie Oosthuizen — Already a Bok
    4. Eben Etzebeth — Aleady a Bok
    5. Ruan Botha — Already played Super Rugby
    6. Siya Kolisi — Already plays Super Rugby and should have been at the Bokke now
    7. Arno Botha — Already played Super Rugby, plays regularly in Currie Cup
    8. CJ Stander — Already played Super Rugby, plays regularly in Currie Cup
    9. Vian van der Watt
    10. Johan Goosen — Already played Super Rugby, bar injury would have been with the Bokke
    11. Tshotsho Mbovane
    12. Jan Serfontein — Was massive in the Junior World Cup, now plays Currie Cup
    13. Paul Jordaan — Already played Super Rugby, plays regularly in Currie Cup
    14. Raymond Rhule — Plays regularly now in Currie Cup
    15. Jaco Taute — Plays Super Rugby and Bar injury could now have been a Bok

    Help me out, fellas…. and suggest some other names too….

  • 14

    13 @ gbBJ,

    Jip, we have a bright future ahead. My bucket list

    1. Kitshoff/Marcel vd Merwe
    2. Mark Pretorius/PW van Vuuren
    3. Coenie Oosthuizen/Maks van Dyk/Malherbe
    4. Eben Etzebeth/Paul Willemse/Quinn Roux
    5. Ruan Botha/Martin Muller/Pieter-Steph du Toit
    6. Siya Kolisi/Shaun Adendorrf
    7. Arno Botha/Braam Steyn
    8. CJ Stander/Phillip vd Walt — Already played Super Rugby, plays regularly in Currie Cup
    9. Vian van der Watt/Piet van Zyl/Piet Rademan (both Junior Boks)
    10. Johan Goosen/Handre Pollard/Ryno Eksteen/Fred Zeilinger
    11. Tshotsho Mbovane/Sbura Sithole/Jamba Ulengo
    12. Jan Serfontein/Dries Swanepoel/Pat Howard/Kobus van Wyk
    13. Paul Jordaan/Small-Smith/Ebersohn
    14. Raymond Rhule/Mjekevu
    15. Jaco Taute/Willie le Roux/Nico Scheepers

  • 15

    11 @ grootblouBokJan:
    Fark You GBBJ! Angry There are no supporters as one eyed as us VRYSTAAAAAATERS! Wink
    Sharks are bloody amateurs! Ssshh

  • 16

    I’m very aware of the fact that whenever I post something about a WP player that it will be seen to have come from a WP supporter. I try and take this into account and not make wild statements of support for players just because they come from (or play) here.

    Having said that I remain an unashamedly WP biased blogger whose support for my team (like many) is reflected in my Nic.

    I’m likely to think more positively about WP based players but hopefully not in the extreme.

    I carry a great amount of respect towards the other teams even though I love to see them getting smashed by us (hopefully with increasing regularity).

    I do think that some WP players were unlucky to not make the squad and in some cases even the team but HM will have his natural bias, as we do and as previous coaches have had, so I wont complain too hard.

    I don’t think that Keegan has carried his Super Rugby form into the Bok team, both against the Argies and the Poms, and I would support him getting demoted. Similarly I have doubts about Potgieter (I’m a big fan of Slangkos though for some reason) but he may prove me wrong. The fact is that the gap is there for some players to take the gap and prove themselves (as Marcel has done) which they would never have had the opportunity to do if guys like Juan, Schalk, Duanne, Pierre, even Kankowski were in the team.

    As they say in the classics, een man se dood is n anner man se brood.

  • 17

    @ MaakieSharksAlmalBokkeseJan:

    Didn’t this Hernandez also do his flyhalf ‘apprenticeship’ at the Sharks some years ago? He and that Fredrico Mendez (hooker?)?

    @ grootblouBokJan:

    Also Pieter-Steph du Toit.
    Why is he not playing for the Sharks, btw, injured?

  • 18

    @ BobbejanklimdiebergStormersboySpringbokJan:r

    I read about your grandfather and Bellville RC.
    In my day most of the club management were SANLAM and army boys. Lappe Laubscher was the chairman, and later Ronnie Masson. Uncle ‘Butch’ (Lochner) and uncle Hennie (‘Windhond’) Muller were our coaches, the latter went over to Northerns later on, and Freek Stander (later referee) from the army coached us U/19’s.

  • 19

    @ JanCheetahSpringbokBallas4eva:
    Ok, I see now, you have P-S (“Little Spiere”)du Toit on your list.

    Jean-Luc du Plessis may also make the list at #10 after his spell at the Bulls’ Academy.

  • 20

    @ Piet-Springbok-Jan:
    Yes Ronnie and my Oupa were good friends. Ronnie actually gave my mom his car to pass her drivers test in after my Oupa refused to lend her his lol.

  • 21

    11 @ grootblouBokJan:

    Look gbs if you don’t want to hear the Sharkies supporters opinions here, then rather tell us straight, that you don’t want us to blog here. Simple we will blog else where.

    When ever we mention a player we think should be given a chance it is NOT because he is a Shark. You know that though so why have a go at us? If a player we think suits Meyer style should be playing in the team and he happens to be a Shark does not mean it is because he is a SHARK that we want him there. Again you KNOW that. But want to attack us all of the time here. Look why is Kolisi not there? WHY? he is a Stormer and he is dropped. We all asking this, but you then will not attack the Shark supporter because we are talking about a Province player, but bloody hell let us mention a Shark player then you attack us for wanting him in the team. Right NOW we are truely not looking at players from which franchise they play for, but rather who is BEST to play to suit the Meyer game plan. Which is kick, kick and crash ball. Deysel would have been a better bet than Potgieter by a long, long way, he can also fetch, where we struggled last week at the breakdowns against the Argies without Bissie. Kolisi would most definitely been too a better bet far more so than Potgieter. He was sent back to Province to play CC for goodness sake why? Why is Hougaard given ANOTHER chance to play scrummie WHY? he was not great there again last week. It should be Ruan. But now that I mention that it is because I am a Shark supporter. Give it a bloody break gbs. We here to give a honest opinion of our thoughts not to be attacked because we are Sharks supporters.

    We are Springbok supporters right now and really just give us credit we just want the best for OUR team. Yes the Boks are our team. And I hate this kick and more kick and crash ball game Meyer is playing but I will support my Boks always. Like someone said on another blog, it seems our game plan is to try not to lose rather than to win. It seems that way. We will have to get into gear with another game plan before we play Oz and Nz that is for sure.

    Now I am out of here. If you don’t want us Shark Supporters then what is the use of blogging here.

    Cheers.

  • 22

    Gbs,

    Another thing you really don’t appreciate what us Shark Supporters do for your blog. It is us that always recommend YOUR blog to other bloggers on other sites that we blog on. We always telling them to come over here and blog. We put up your sites name where ever we blog. It is mostly us Sharkies that have brought new bloggers over to your site. The kiwis and some other bloggers that have come here it is us that have brought them over. But somehow you don’t appreciate us. Well that says enough. I am out of here now.

  • 23

    19 @ Piet-Springbok-Jan:
    Howzit Piet,

    JL du Plessis is coming to the Sharks Academy next year. Has signed a 2 year contract.

    PSDT is out injured. Well recovering from a ankle op. This is coming into his 6th week since his op so should be ready to play in about 2 or 3 weeks time. He is most definitely a future Bok. I think in the Juan Smith mold. Awesome talent. I would play him at 7 though he is a 4 lock.

    Cheers ou maat.

  • 24

    @ PumaSpringbokJan:

    Helloooo Puma!

    Sorry, I MEANT Sharks’ Academy, not Bulls’! An oversight, would never put one of your Sharkies in the Bull pen on purpose, believe me!

    Agree on PS du Toit at #7.
    Cheers bru…..)and keep supporting your Shark players at all cost! ( I am a Keegan Daniel fan myself, Idon’t give a shyte who says what about him….just for the record. And I don’t like Hougie at scrumhalf, so there, come bite me

    Tounge-Out )

  • 25

    @ PumaSpringbokJan:If it’s not bad enough to have a one-eyed, one horned bull that bats for the other side, it’s having one that talks out of the wrong hole!!!!! No offence, GBS, but we’re all excessively one-eyed, even if we try to counter balance the argument!

    My only comment on Keegan Daniel, is that often, as we have seen in the past, for smaller players, or players like Spies, it is horses for courses. Some matches are suited for their style and others not. I just think that Meyer got it wrong last weekend, it wasn’t that Keegan played badly. When you looked at the lineup of the Puma’s scrum, and the pack that they chose, you could see that it was chosen to make sure the Boks would get no go forward play. In this situation, I think either Spies or Daniel are wrong choices, we have seen in the past they don’t play well off a pack going backwards. They need and thrive on the forward momentum. I think putting Daniels in that team last weekend was a huge risk, and as we saw, didn’t work. HM, brilliant coach so far, wrong decision on that occasion.

  • 26

    16 @ BobbejanklimdiebergStormersboySpringbokJan:
    Howzit M.

    Look Keegan’s body will never be suited to this crash ball type of rugby Meyer wants our Boks to play. Keegan is more suited to ‘all out rugby’ where we play with skills and a up tempo game, where we keep ball in hand. Keegan is one of the best in that type of game. His work rate is phenomenal and his off-loads is one of the best in the Sharks team who do more off-loads than any other team in South Africa right now. Keegan is suited to a thinking skilful ball in hand game. Crash ball and kick, kick game not suited for a talent like him. Sad but true, we play a terrible style of rugby for the Boks. Was hoping after the England game Meyer would have had another game plan for our Boks. Not to be. We play not to lose rather than to win.

    Cheers bud.

  • 27

    24 @ Piet-Springbok-Jan:
    Piet,

    hahaha. You one of the reasons I blog here Piet…. hehe. That was funny in parts bru…. hehe.

    Gbs, makes me ‘Mal’ sometimes. Think maybe he has it in for us sharkies cause we spanked his bully boys at the tank…………hahaha.

    You still in Saudi Piet? Jeez it must be terrible there the heat this time of year.

  • 28

    @ BobbejanklimdiebergStormersboySpringbokJan:
    Ronnie probably lent her his car because the old CY ‘spietkops’ test center used to be in that backroad behind Sanlam’s head office,and his car was usually parked there nearby! I also ‘passed out’ on that same bumpy old test groung next to the railway line….in my father’s old Zephyr6.

  • 29

    25 @ Just For Kicks:
    For sure JFK. The crash ball style that the Boks play don’t suit Keegan style of play. He is a skilful player and his body just too small for crash ball. He was awesome for the Sharks though. In the last 5 games Keegan played openside and not 8th man.

    Anyhow my opinion and it is just that a opinion our Boks game plan is just backward thinking. I know we are winning but only just. I hate to see that style of rugby to be honest. Especially after watching almost the same players playing a brilliant ball in hand game for the Sharks. Even Jannie was off-loading for petes sake! hahaha. Now crash ball into the player the whole game long is just bloody useless. Injuries galore are gonna come again. Even Fransie that is a superb 12, his body is now used at the Boks just to bloody crash ball into the player ahead. Useless rubbish, rubbish rugby. We winning but it looks like we trying so bloody hard to not lose rather than win. Useless game plan. I was okay with it against England as I wanted us to win no matter what style we played. Now this is the RC for goodness sake, we need to get 4 tries for that damn bonus point again. ABs gonna slaughter us just watch if we don’t get some sort of attacking game plan. Our backline looks useless under Meyer sorry to say they do. We need a better gameplane to use them.

    Meyer should go look at the Sharks/Bulls game we played at the Tank. Get some ideas from there for another game plan. If we combine the gwo styles we could be unbeatable. Also need to SELECT right all the time. Not favourite players.

  • 30

    @ PumaSpringbokJan:

    Still in Saudi yes, got the wife’s air ticket yesterday, she is leaving two month’s ahead of me; I am going back the end of the year, inshallah, but will still have to make the occasional trip over here.

    ****PS. Don’t take GBS too seriously this week, he is bit gastric, most Bulls fans are currently suffering from a bout of ‘Shark fever’ ahead of this weekend’s match at Loftus….

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