Select Edition

Select Edition

Northern
Southern
Global
NZ
France

Springboks hit by double injury blow in victory over All Blacks

By Rugby365
South Africa's flanker Siya Kolisi (C) gestures with a bloody nose to the referee during the Rugby Championship Test match between South Africa and New Zealand at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg on August 31, 2024. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP)

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will most likely miss the Test against the All Blacks in Cape Town on Saturday.

The world champions produced a strong showing in the final quarter to edge Scott Robertson’s side 31-27 in their Rugby Championship Round Three clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.

However, the victory has come at a price.

The Bok captain attended the post-match press conference, but the right side of his face was severely swollen.

When Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus was asked about the injury, he said he thought it might be a fracture and by the looks of it, it might be the cheekbone.

“To me, it looks like a fracture,” Erasmus said.

“The doctor will have to take a look, I am not a doctor, but he doesn’t normally look like that,” a smiling Erasmus said.

If the cheekbone is fractured, it will rule Kolisi out of next weekend’s clash at Cape Town Stadium.

He left the field after 60 minutes and was replaced by Kwagga Smit.

Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse was the other big casualty as he left the field due to a concussion.

Saturday’s win was the Boks’ third in a row in the Rugby Championship.

They now have an eight-point lead over the All Blacks in the standings.

Argentina lost to Australia in La Plata in Saturday’s other Round Three fixture.