'It's a bad injury': Elrigh Louw called up as Springbok injury crisis worsens

Bulls back-row Elrigh Louw has been called into the South Africa squad following a hamstring injury to second-row Riley Norton which has ruled him out for 10 weeks.

South Africa U20 captain Norton is the latest lock to pick up an injury for the Boks, so much so that Rassie Erasmus was unable to name any second-row cover on the bench against England on Saturday for the first match of the Nations Championship.

After naming his squad, Erasmus revealed that 20-year-old Norton was in line to earn his first South Africa cap against Steve Borthwick’s side, before joining the U20 outfit for the remainder of the World Rugby Junior World Championship.

Erasmus also noted that “the locks are certainly getting injured in our environment,” with Franco Mostert and Lood de Jager also unavailable for the match. Additionally, Salmaan Moerat had already withdrawn from the camp with injury.

Louw will now be looking to add to his 13 Bok caps, the last of which was earned in November 2024. A knee injury sidelined the 26-year-old for much of 2025, but he has been included in Erasmus’ alignment camps this year.

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“Riley got injured in training, unfortunately,” said Erasmus.

“It was probably the second-last move of the session. He just pulled his hamstring while chasing. It wasn’t a weird incident, he just pulled it.

“Unfortunately it’s a bad hamstring injury. I think he’ll be out for eight to 10 weeks.

“I think the junior guys coming in, maybe the intensity in the beginning of the training sessions, because they really push the older guys, I wouldn’t say it was our fault, but maybe for some of the younger guys, keeping up with that all the time.

“Jaco Williams also had a hamstring injury, but he’s fully fit now and will be available for selection.”