The Springboks look set to be without fly-half Handre Pollard for the entire Rugby Championship campaign, leaving him with just the Rugby World Cup warm-up games to prove his fitness.
South Africa kick off their southern hemisphere tournament charge next Saturday when they host Australia at Loftus Versfeld and will do so without Pollard’s services.
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Pollard picked up an injury ahead of Leicester Tigers’ Premiership semi-final, and Rassie Erasmus confirmed that he is a major doubt for the clashes against Australia, New Zealand and Argentina in the competition.
“As of this morning, the only real concern, who will be touch and go to play a Rugby Championship game, and I’m not including the Argentina Test match (the second clash is a Rugby World Cup warm-up game), is Handre [Pollard],” Erasmus said when giving a squad update ahead of the clash against Australia next week.
“Eben’s [Etzebeth] results really looked good yesterday, and he is testing, same with Jaden Hendrikse – I think they will take part.
“Damian Willemse is ready to go, so Handre is a bit of a worry whether he will be able to play in the Rugby Championship.”
Erasmus added that the Springboks are a bit more nervous to rush Pollard back to full fitness as it was a re-injury that he suffered at Leicester Tigers.
“It’s a calf injury which he re-injured when he was playing for Leicester, so with a re-injury, we are always a bit more nervous, and that’s the reason why we have Elton [Jantjies] here, so that Handre can fully recover and we don’t push him too early,” he said.
“It’s more or less the same for Siya [Kolisi] now, we are looking at either the Argentina or Wales or New Zealand match that’s not in the Rugby Championship (as a return date).”
Erasmus concluded by again noting that Damian Willemse is fit and available.
Pollard’s absence
Meanwhile, head coach Jacques Nienaber was asked whether Pollard’s injury disrupts the side.
“No, I don’t think so,” Nienaber replied. “The basic game plan that you put out there is the basic one, and then the players will adapt and evolve and apply their skillset into that.
“Obviously, we must get used to the guy that is playing there, and I think it’s similar to someone important like Siya; it’s probably the same disruption.”
South Africa host Australia in their opener before travelling to New Zealand to face the All Blacks in Auckland. That is followed by a clash with Argentina in Johannesburg, concluding the shortened version of the Rugby Championship.
They will then face Los Pumas in Buenos Aires on August 5, with a clash against Wales 14 days later and another match against the All Blacks in London on August 25 before the World Cup.
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