In sports, you win some, you lose some, and the Springboks are experiencing both on the injury front ahead of their November tour to Europe.
a star’s wing Cheslin Kolbe has been named in Toulon’s starting lineup at right flank for Saturday’s French Top 14 match against Brive at the Stade Mayol after a nearly three-month absence (5pm SA time kickoff).
On July 16, the 28-year-old speedster suffered a broken jaw during the first half of the third Test against Wales at Cape Town Stadium and has been sidelined since.
He suffered a thumb fracture earlier this year, and a leg injury during a training session forced him to miss the final few games of last year’s Rugby Championship and the November tour to Europe – and he has appeared in just 13 matches for Toulon since joining from Toulouse at the end of the 2020-21 season.
Toulon, on the other hand, revealed this week on social media that Kolbe will wear the No 14 shirt against Brive.
However, for Bok coach Jacques Nienaber, youngster Canan Moodie will miss the forthcoming Tests against Ireland (November 5), France (November 12), Italy (November 19), and England (November 26) due to a hamstring injury suffered recently in a United Rugby Championship game against Edinburgh.
Bulls coach Jake White stated on Friday from Scotland, ahead of Saturday’s URC match against the Glasgow Warriors, that the 19-year-old will not be back in action anytime soon.
Furthermore, Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar (ankle) is ruled out of the Bok trip.
“At this point, it appears that Canan will be out for roughly eight weeks,” White added.
“As a result, he won’t play in either of our next two games (before the international Test window) and is unlikely to be available to tour with the Springboks.”
“That means he should be back by the end of November, when we start the second half of the URC.”
“Grobbies had an operation yesterday on his syndesmosis (ankle), so he should be out in six to eight weeks.”
White, on the other hand, had good news for another Bok wing, Sbu Nkosi, who missed last week’s triumph over Connacht due to concussion.
“Sbu will join us on the weekend since he has been cleared to play, and he will stay with us for the duration of the tour.”