News
Springboks' long injury list
May 23 2008
The World Champion Springboks will face Wales in June with a new coach and without a handful of the players who won them the William Web Ellis Trophy in France last October.
Four players from the starting XV on that eventful night in Paris will not be available for selection for the two Tests against the Six Nations champions.
Prop Os du Randt has of course retired, but flank Schalk Burger, centre Jaque Fourie and scrum-half Fourie du Preez will all have to watch the Springboks' first home Tests since the World Cup from the sidelines due to injury.
Wickus van Heerden, who sat on the bench for the Final against England has also fallen foul of injury while fellow replacement Andre Pretorius is not even in the Springbok training group after missing the entire Super 14.
Burger tore ligaments in his right knee against the Highlanders and needs another four weeks of recovery time. Fourie, who only played two games in the Super 14 has a medial ligament tear in his elbow and will also miss the Test against Italy as will first-choice scrum-half Du Preez who has a fractured hand.
Van Heerden recently underwent surgery on his left knee and should be up and running in around two weeks, but will surely not be ready for Test rugby after nearly a month of inactivity.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers will be praying that the Sharks return from the Super 14 play-offs unscathed.
But De Villiers' worries don't end there. South African rugby's first black captain Chiliboy Ralepelle is still also recovering from knee surgery and faces a fitness test in the coming weeks.
Bulls scrum-half Heini Adams is unavailable for the first Test in Bloemfontein with a bruised lower leg bone as is team-mate Zane Kirchner whose season is over due to a groin injury.
Springbok fans will have their fingers crossed that Stormers speedster Tonderai Chavhanga, who holds the Springbok record for the number of tries in a Test, will pass a fitness test on the torn hamstring that ruled him out of the final rounds of the Super 14.
No such luck for promising Cheetahs flank Duanne Vermeulen whose disc lesion in his neck may need surgery, ruling him out of any rugby in the next few months.
With the inevitable bumps and bruises that come with Tests match preparation and newly appointed team doctor Craig Roberts' hands already full, all of south Africa will be holding their breath in the hope that no more big name players break down in the coming weeks.