Schalk Brits

Marcel van der Merwe

The Springboks were dealt a double blow on Monday, when first Saracens hooker Schalk Brits and then Blue Bulls tighthead prop Marcel van der Merwe was ruled out of the End Of Year Tour (November Internationals) with a knee injury.

Van der Merwe was supposed to join up with the Bok training camp this week but hurt himself in the dying minutes of the Vodacom Blue Bulls loss in the ABSA Currie Cup semifinal against DHL Western Province on Saturday, and will miss the next four to six weeks of rugby with a medial knee ligament injury.

“He fell awkwardly in the last few minutes of the game,” Blue Bulls doctor Org Strauss said, “He has a grade 2 medial ligament tear, luckily not the same knee that has given him problems in the past, I expect him to be out for anywhere between four and six weeks.”

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The loss of Van der Merwe is a big blow for Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, especially as the tour of Ireland, England, Italy and Wales is fraught with traps at the moment, not to mention a final test in Cardiff where none of the European players will be available as it falls outside the IRB window.

Brits was injured in the 30-23 Saracens win over Clermont Auvergne in Saturday’s European Champions’ Cup match and Saracens head of medicine Joe Collins has confirmed the South African will undergo surgery on Tuesday on his knee to correct a ligament tear and “will be out until well into the new year.”

As the Boks – minus Western Province and Lions players – got together in their Stellenbosch camp ahead of the tour, the loss of both players will be weighing heavily on the Boks minds.

While Brits was third choice hooker, the Boks will be weary of overplaying their top two hookers Adriaan Strauss and Bismarck du Plessis, especially as both are at the end of heavy season loads.

Van der Merwe was a substitute in the Bok win over New Zealand at Ellis Park is by virtue the back up to Jannie du Plessis at tighthead.

South Africa has a shortage of tighthead prop at the moment, and while Lourens Adriaanse has been called up to the camp this week, there is a likelihood that either Julian Redelinghuys or Ruan Dreyer might well be in the frame when the Bok side in named at this weekend.

The Xerox Golden Lions scrum has been exceptional of late, and certainly has made a statement with their performances in the Currie Cup, but it will be interesting to see if they have done enough to crack the nod.

There is also still a worry about two seasoned Boks for the tour with Willem Alberts and Ruan Pienaar still doubtful as they have just recovered from their injuries.

The Boks are likely to release a statement about their conditioning in the week to settle doubts about their fitness, but contingency plans may have to be made if neither can go on tour.

Currently Marcel Coetzee and Oupa Mohoje have been filling the gap left by Alberts, and with Francois Louw also ruled out of the tour, both should keep their places.

Depending on fitness both Western Provinces’ Nizaam Carr and the Lions’ Jaco Kriel come into the frame for selection after some good performances in the Currie Cup, while Cobus Reinach and Francois Hougaard are the two incumbent scrumhalves. Should Pienaar not be fit, then a third scrumhalf will have to be found. Here it will be interesting to see who the Boks choose, as Piet van Zyl’s form has been tempered this season and Rudy Paige might not be at the level the Boks need at the moment.

Going overseas won’t help them as the Welsh test they will need a locally based third scrumhalf, with no scrumhalf really putting their hands up with dominant performances around the country.

At hooker things are looking a bit better, with the third spot – Brits’ position – likely to go to one of Scarra Ntubeni, who has toured with the Boks before, or Bongi Mbonambi, who has been impressive with his performances this season.