The Springboks were rather fortunate to avoid any particularly serious injuries during the Rugby Championship, which concluded with a win over Argentina and yet another trophy celebration.
During the tournament, Kurt-Lee Arendse did suffer a concerning leg injury, but it’s believed that he should be back in time to be considered for selection on the end-of-year tour.
However, there are some players who have already been ruled out.
UNAVAILABLE SPRINGBOKS
Jean-Luc du Preez
The talented loose forward has endured a nightmare season in terms of ill-timed injuries, and he has now undergone knee surgery, which is expected to keep him out of action until next year.
The 30-year-old was set to start in the blockbuster Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park, but he suffered an injury in training, while he was also ruled out of the second Test against the Wallabies in Cape Town on the morning of the game due to illness.
That would’ve been his first Test start in seven years, but that wait will now go on until at least next season.
Frans Malherbe
The powerful prop has been sidelined due to a recurring lower back injury, which has even led to some fears that it could be career-threatening.
However, medical updates have suggested that doctors are pursuing a non-surgical approach to allow his back to heal naturally, but he won’t be rushed back.
A return in early 2026 sadly seems to be the most optimistic outcome.
Aphelele Fassi
The skilful fullback recently underwent surgery after picking up an ankle injury, and the initial fear was that he would be out ruled out for some quite some time.
In some good news, there have been some reports to suggest that he is recovering quickly, and could be available to be called up if there were an injury during the latter stages of the end-of-year tour.
However, as it stands, it’s unlikely that he will be available for selection when Rassie Erasmus first names his touring squad in the next couple of weeks.
