Injuries
News from Cape Town is that Tendai “Beast” Mtawarita is recovering from a successful minor medical procedure to correct an intermittent irregular heart rhythm he experienced last weekend.
Scotland flanker Ross Rennie has been given treatment on his dislocated shoulder suffered in the 22-51 loss to Rugby World Cup champions New Zealand at Murrayfield.
Wales are sweating on the fitness of two of their marquee players, centre Jamie Roberts and lock Alun Wyn Jones, in the wake of their 26-12 defeat to Argentina at the Millennium Stadium.
Starting lock Sitaleki Timani is among four players who remain in doubt for the Wallabies opening Test against France this weekend.
Ireland have confirmed that backrow Stephen Ferris will miss Ireland’s opening Autumn International against South Africa this weekend due to injury.
Argentina have called up former captain Felipe Contepomi for the Autumn Internationals but lost second rower Patricio Albacete as he needs surgery.
When the Springbok squad of 31 (one more player to be added) was announced on Sunday, my first impression was that there was a squad of fully fit players, bar maybe some niggles after the Currie Cup Final of the day before.
It now appears that there were indeed real injuries to be considered, specifically the injuries of Adriaan Strauss (knee) and Francois Louw (neck) as well as Springbok Captain Jean de Villiers (hamstring).
Two Vodacom Blue Bulls player will undergo medical procedures in the next week following a long and taxing 2012 rugby season.
The Free State Cheetahs started preparations for round two of their battle with the Eastern Province Kings facing a new injury crisis.
The Wallabies injury problems have taken another blow as prop Ben Alexander has been ruled out of the final Bledisloe Cup test with a wrist injury.
The Wallabies playing stocks for their end of year tour have suffered yet another blow as utility back James O’Connor will miss the tour.
It’s crunch-time in the Currie Cup, with only semi-finals and finals remaining but only one of the four semi-final sides, the Blue Bulls have a clean bill of health on their 22 squad players.
Springbok flyhalf Johan Goosen will undergo knee surgery on Tuesday which will rule him out of action for the rest of the year.
The dreaded injury bogey and looseforward curse has struck Heinrich Brüssow, the Toyota Free State Cheetahs and Springbok flank yet again.
Springbok prop Coenie Oosthuizen has been cleared to play after an examination by a neurosurgeon in Durban on Tuesday.
The convincing win of the Springboks on Saturday was followed by news on the injury front.
Most notably Francois Steyn, who rolled his left ankle last Monday morning, will have to undergo an operation to clean the ankle up and will be sidelined for 3 months recovering from the surgery.
Australia suffered another blow ahead of their Castle Rugby Championship match against the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday with reserve loose forward Scott Higginbotham set to be ruled out of the game.
Wallabies flyhalf Quade Cooper has been ruled out of the remainder of The Rugby Championship after scans revealed an articular cartilage chip to his right knee.
Sharks centre Paul Jordaan has been ruled out of this week’s Currie Cup match against Western Province in Durban. Jordaan suffered concussion when the Sharks were beaten by the Griquas at the weekend. He also has a facial injury.
The Wallabies injury woes have continued with the news that hooker Stephen Moore and utility back James O’Connor’s return to fitness has been postponed.
Flyhalf Dan Carter will not be considered for New Zealand’s Rugby Championship clash with South Africa next week to allow him to recover completely from a calf strain, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said on Sunday.
Australia were quickly brought back down to earth after a morale-boosting victory over South Africa in the Rugby Championship with world class scrumhalf Will Genia ruled out for at least six months with a knee injury.
Australia hooker Stephen Moore injured a hamstring in training on Thursday, making him a doubt for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against South Africa in Perth.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls have lost Deon Stegmann for the remainder of the Absa Currie Cup season.
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.
The Vodacom Blue Bulls will be hoping for a better medical bill of health on Wednesday morning after their preparations for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup game with the Sharks were severely disrupted by a massive flu bug that hit the camp.
All Blacks and Blues prop Tony Woodcock has been ruled out and sidelined with a rib injury from the Test between the All Blacks and Wallabies on Saturday, a Test forming both part of The Rugby Championship as well as it being a Bledisloe Cup match, at Eden Park in New Zealand.
Wallabies captain David Pocock is in doubt for Australia’s Bledisloe Cup rematch with the All Blacks and the rest of tournament after after he sustained a knee injury in their 19-27 in the Rugby Championship opener.
Springbok No 8 Pierre Spies has been ruled out of The Rugby Championship due to an injury he sustained playing Super Rugby last month.
Loose forward Arno Botha will miss this week’s Absa Currie Cup clash against the Toyota Free State due to a hamstring injury, but midfielder Johann Sadie will be fit for selection.
Western Province had an injury list on Sunday that was as long as coach Allister Coetzee’s arm, but there was at least one bit of good news – influential No 8 Duane Vermeulen will return to action this week.
Springbok flanker Schalk Burger is expected to be ruled out of rugby for the rest of this year’s rugby season after he was injured in the opening round of Super rugby.
DHL Western Province centre Juan de Jongh has been called up to the Springbok squad in the place of the injured JP Pietersen.
Vodacom Bulls winger Bjorn Basson will return to South Africa on Wednesday following his successful recovery from an operation in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Good news just in, Johan Goosen is set to return for the Free State Cheetahs in early September.