Springboks get double Rugby Championship injury boost

Two injured Springboks have recovered sufficiently to warrant a place in the touring party to face Australia in August.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed that Pieter-Steph du Toit and Steven Kitshoff have been cleared to play against Australia and their names will no doubt appear on the touring squad list that he will announce on Tuesday.

Kitshoff has been out of action since April, after suffering a knee injury while playing for Ulster in a Challenge Cup quarterfinal defeat to French side Clermont.

That injury kept him out of the two-Test series against Ireland as well as the clash against Portugal in Bloemfontein this past weekend.

However, his coach at the Stormers, John Dobson, confirmed that the prop is close to returning to the pitch.

Du Toit also got injured in the second Test but has recovered quicker than anticipated and should be on the plane to Australia.

Erasmus also confirmed that Malcolm Marx would be ready to face the Wallabies in the second Test on August 17.

He sustained a tibia fracture in the second Test against Ireland in Durban after being cleaned out by Irish captain Caelan Doris.

The Springboks face the Wallabies at Lang Park cauldron in Brisbane on August 10, followed by the second Test in Perth on August 17.

Erasmus was asked if any of the debutants did enough against Portugal in Bloemfontein on Saturday to merit a tick next to their names for the tour to Australia.

He said Jasper Wiese is still unavailable due to a lengthy ban after he received a red card in his final match for the Leicester Tigers against the Exeter Chiefs for lifting Ross Vincent dangerously, resulting in Vincent’s head striking the ground.

Wiese will only be available after the two-Test series against the Wallabies.

“There is a squad of 42 with players currently in and out of our squad,” Erasmus told reporters after the Portugal Test in Bloemfontein.

“Jasper [Wiese] must still come back, Damian Willemse must still come back, Pieter-Steph du Toit is cleared, Steven Kitshoff is cleared, and it looks like Malcolm Marx can play the second Australia game.

“So we will have to juggle a few things.

“There are lots of players that can play for the Springboks,” Erasmus said but declined to mention any names.

“Some [of the youngsters] will be integrated slowly and some might tour Australia.

“But they might not play against the All Blacks and then we have Argentina [September 21] at the end.

“So we’ve got a plan.

“It would’ve been lovely if the Ireland match had also been a win,” the coach commented.

It was clear that the young prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who scored a try on debut against Portugal, might have done enough to impress the Springbok coach and could be one of the lucky few youngsters to warrant selection for the touring party.

“What Jan-Hendrik Wessels did in the loose as a loosehead, I think there is pressure on the other looseheads.

“Players grow older and we have our succession planning, but some guys shock you with how early they are ready.

“You must remember it was against Portugal.

“If we had to put last week’s team [who played against Ireland] up against the Portuguese, [who knows?].

“Portugal tried hard, but yes, the guys played well and we are happy,” Erasmus concluded.