Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus insisted today that the Springboks' injury situation is "not as serious" as the media portrays, and in reality, only two frontline players, lock RG Snyman and flanker Kwagga Smith, are sidelined for the entire season.
According to Erasmus, Eben Etzebeth and Malcolm Marx will be ready for the season opener against England, while Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu & Cobus Reinach are on the mend. Reinach may be available for the England Test, but Erasmus noted that rushing him back would be foolish.
“We’ve actually got a lot of players available and the challenge at the moment is figuring out how to give everyone game time.”
“Eben will be ready; some guys who just played a lot of rugby will rest for the Barbarians. I mean, like Damian De Allende and Damian Willemse”
“Malcolm is also ready. If you look at the really long-term injuries, the guys who will only be ready next year, it’s probably only RG and Kwagga.”
“Nearly all the players who would regularly feature in our match 23 are okay. The other injuries are mostly players still finding their feet in the system or guys who haven’t consistently been part of the match-day squad.”
“Krappies will possibly be available by the time we play New Zealand, or even Scotland and Wales.”
“Sacha should be ready about four weeks before the New Zealand matches. Ethan is on a similar timeline. Cobus Reinach could be ready for England, but it will be a push. If he hears me say this, he will get upset, but he will probably only join the squad after the three incoming matches.”
“Marnus van der Merwe has a long-term injury. Frans Malerbe and Trevor Nyakane haven't come back yet, but we hope they can. Ruan Venter is somebody that we really thought could do it this year for us at front lock. He's also out with a long-term injury.”
“Deon Fourie is obviously a guy that we're always calling on if we could need him, and unfortunately, he also is out. But, I mean, Deon would have probably not made the match 23 in most of the games.”