South Africa's injury crisis deepens as listed player misses plane

South Africa’s injury situation appears to be approaching crisis proportions. Rugby 365 has revealed this evening that another player, still listed as a member of the Springbok squad, did not get on the plane when it departed for a training camp in Jersey on Sunday.

The team will prepare there for a week ahead of their year-end Tests against Scotland, England and Wales.

Prop Frans Malherbe is the latest casualty.

He was one of three Springboks injured in the Stormers’ 17-28 United Rugby Championship loss to the defending champions, Glasgow Warriors, in Stellenbosch at the weekend.

The others were utility back Damian Willemse and loose forward Ben-Jason Dixon.

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Willemse, who suffered a groin injury while scoring a try at the Danie Craven Stadium, was officially withdrawn on Sunday and replaced by Bulls loose forward Cameron Hanekom.

Dixon, who was not selected for the tour, suffered a knee injury and went for scans.

@rugby365com can also reveal that Willemse, who only recently returned from finger surgery that saw him miss all the mid-year and Rugby Championship Tests, will be sidelined for three to four months with the groin injury.

He is unlikely to be back in action before February next year.

The big concern for the Boks will be the absence of stalwart prop Malherbe, who rolled his ankle against the Warriors.

He is the third Bok casualty since the year-end tour squad was announced last week.

Johan Grobbelaar (hooker) and Wilco Louw (prop) were called up to replace the injury withdrawal of utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

On Sunday Willemse was replaced by Hanekom, but no replacement was announced for Malherbe.

The official Springbok media release still lists him as a member of the touring squad.

However, there are now only two specialist tighthead props in the group – Vincent Koch and Wilco Louw, although Thomas du Toit can play on both sides of the front row.

The loosehead props are Ox Nche and Gerhard Steenekamp.