CAPE TOWN - Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids didn’t say it in so many words, but it looks highly unlikely that star locks Lood de Jager and RG Snyman, as well as stalwart centre Damian de Allende, will be ready to play in next week’s first Test against Georgia.
The trio are yet to arrive in South Africa and are doing their rehabilitation programmes at their respective clubs, with Davids saying on Wednesday that they are expected to land in the country on Sunday.
De Jager sustained a broken leg and knee damage during a freak accident in training, and was said to be in contention to feature for English club Sale Sharks if they were to reach the Premiership final this weekend – but they lost 40-30 in the semi-final to Exeter last Saturday.
Munster duo Snyman and De Allende, of course, were involved in the infamous ‘fire pit’ incident recently, and were due to see another specialist this week. Snyman is also still recovering from his long-term ACL knee injury, and it was touch-and-go anyway as to whether he would be fit for the British and Irish Lions series, let alone for the two Georgia Tests.
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With first Test taking place at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria next Friday at 7pm, it would mean that they would have to be declared fit without having played any rugby for a few weeks in De Allende’s case, and a number of months with De Jager and Snyman.
“It’s an ongoing process – the medical staff are in consistent communication with our coaching staff in terms of their rehabilitation. Hopefully they will join us in the couple of weeks to come. We are really looking forward to that. But at this current time, we are working with our local-based players, and they’ve really been training well in the past few weeks,” was Davids’ cagey response on Wednesday from the team camp in Bloemfontein.
“I can’t say that at this stage (that they won’t be ready for the Georgia Tests). All the players are coming in on Sunday, the overseas-based players from the UK and France.
“A thorough assessment medically will be made in terms of where they are, and then we will make a decision from there on.
“The only way for me to answer that question is for me to say to you that we know that they are busy with their rehabilitation, and there are ongoing discussions with the medical staff.
“We know that the UK and France-based players will join us from Sunday in camp, and from there, we will make a final assessment and we will know whether they will be part of those guys joining us.”
If all three are ruled out, it would most likely result in Franco Mostert partnering Eben Etzebeth next Friday, with Marvin Orie on the bench as French-based Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg is uncapped.
Frans Steyn is a ready-made replacement for De Allende at inside centre, while another option would be to have a look at Handre Pollard at No 12, with Elton Jantjies at flyhalf.
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Davids added that injured No 8 Duane Vermeulen will be involved in the Lions series in some capacity, but that the Bok coaches have an “open mindset” about who will slot in at the back of the scrum against Georgia.
Kwagga Smith, though, may have the inside lane in that regard to combine with Pieter-Steph du Toit and captain Siya Kolisi in the loose trio, having been part of the 2019 World Cup squad.
“In terms of Duane also, he is busy with his rehabilitation, and he is also in contact (with us) in terms of how things are going,” Bok forwards coach Davids said.
“We expect him also, in the next couple of weeks, to join our group, and we are looking forward to having him as part of our squad – whether his contribution will be off-field or on-field. We would like to share that experience for us in our preparation going forward.
“At this stage, we have a very open mindset in terms of our approach. We have a couple of options available, and in training, we have shifted the players around to test the different combinations.
“We have Kwagga, there’s also a new guy like Jasper Wiese that will come in. Dan du Preez has played Tests for South Africa and has been in outstanding form – he had a great game last week (for Sale Sharks).
“We will do a thorough assessment of our loose forwards who are available and what the needs are of our team, and hopefully we will have a very clear understanding come Sunday, Monday in terms of what we want to do for the next two games going forward.”
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