The Springboks landed in Jersey on Monday, kicking off preparations for their Outgoing Tour, albeit without the services of veteran prop Frans Malherbe.
After settling at the base for their pre-tour camp on Monday, the Springboks confirmed that Malherbe was forced to stay behind in South Africa after sustaining an ankle injury in the DHL Stormers’ Vodacom URC game against the Glasgow Warriors over the weekend.
Rassie Erasmus has yet to make a decision over whether the two-time World Cup-winning tighthead will be replaced in the squad.
The Springboks are left with Vincent Koch and Wilco Louw as the only specialist tighthead props, with Thomas du Toit able to play on both sides of the scrum.
This week’s camp marks the final preparation before the Boks face Scotland, England, and Wales.
Malherbe was one of three Springboks injured in the Stormers’ bruising 28-17 defeat to Glasgow Warriors in Stellenbosch. The other two were Ben-Jason Dixon and Damian Willemse.
Willemse, who picked up a groin injury while scoring a try, was officially ruled out on Sunday, with Bulls youngster Cameron Hanekom stepping in as his replacement.
Dixon, who wasn’t selected for the tour, sustained a knee injury and is undergoing scans to determine the severity.
In a double blow for Willemse, who has only just returned from finger surgery that sidelined him for the mid-year and Rugby Championship Tests, the groin injury will reportedly keep him out for three to four months, delaying his return to action until February.
This makes him the third player sidelined since last week’s tour squad announcement, after Johan Grobbelaar and Louw were called up to cover Jan-Hendrik Wessels’s absence.
Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
