Triple blow for Boks
2007-11-13 08:58
Cape Town - Forwards Danie Rossouw, Wikus van Heerden, and Gurthro Steenkamp have all been forced to withdraw from South Africa's tour of Britain.
Star scrumhalf Fourie du Preez also looks like staying home and missing the Test against Wales at Cardiff on November 24 and the celebration match with the Barbarians at Twickenham on December 1.
Loose forwards Rossouw and Van Heerden have neck injuries and have been replaced by the Blue Bulls' Hilton Lobberts and the Sharks' Ryan Kankowski when the squad assembled on Monday, according to chairperson of the national selectors, Peter Jooste.
Steenkamp, another starter from South Africa's World Cup final victory last month, cut his hand in a freak accident in the kitchen and has had his position filled by Wian du Preez of Currie Cup champions, the Cheetahs.
Du Preez, who got married on Saturday, wants to have an operation on the shoulder he hurt in the Super 14, to try and be fully healed before the next Super 14 beginning in February.
The latest changes, following last week's withdrawal of fullback Percy Montgomery with a sore knee, mean uncapped Lions prop Heinke van der Merwe is in line to make his Test debut against Wales.
Van der Merwe travelled with the second-string Springboks to Australia and New Zealand in the Tri-Nations but didn't play.
Kankowski, as the only specialist No 8 in the touring squad, also could play his first Test.
Meanwhile, Cardiff Blues prop Gethin Jenkins will become the 125th player to captain Wales when he leads the side against the Boks at the Millennium Stadium, the WRU said on Monday.
Revised South Africa squad:
Forwards:
Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Wian du Preez, Ryan Kankowski, Hilton Lobberts, Victor Matfield, Johann Muller, John Smit (captain), Juan Smith, Albert van den Berg, CJ van der Linde, Heinke van der Merwe.
Backs:
Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Conrad Jantjes, Ricky Januarie, Wayne Julies, Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Andre Pretorius, Francois Steyn.
- AP