Lood De Jager: Bad News As Springboks Star Suffers Season-Ending Injury
- The South African men's rugby national team has been dealt a huge blow after a key player suffered a season-ending injury
- The Springboks star's club confirmed that the player would undergo surgery to fix the injury, which means he would be on the sidelines for a long time
- The Boks would be in action by July, but would hope the rugby star would be back in good condition ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup
The Springboks are set to begin their season in July with fixtures against England, Scotland, and Wales, although they may have to do so without the experienced lock, Lood de Jager.
Source: Getty Images
De Jager was part of the Springboks squad that defeated France 32-17 at the Stade de France, Paris, during the end-of-the-year tour, but he didn't finish the match as he was sent off for a reckless challenge on French player Thomas Ramos in the 39th minute.
The Boks lock was banned from playing the rest of the Test during the tour as Rassie Erasmus' side went on the tour unbeaten.
De Jager ruled out of the season
De Jager has been ruled out for the rest of the Japanese League One campaign after his club, the Wild Knights, announced he will undergo surgery to address a hip injury.
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At 33 years old, De Jager faces an expected recovery period of at least six months, marking another setback in a career already affected by recurring injuries over 73 Test appearances.
Should De Jager be unavailable for the Springboks’ opening Test matches, players such as Ruan Nortje, Franco Mostert, and RG Snyman are likely to fill the No. 5 role.
The season kicks off with a Test against England on Saturday, 4 July, followed by games against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on 11 July and Wales at Kings Park in Durban on 18 July. Exact kick-off times have yet to be announced.
Source: Getty Images
Springbok Match Schedule for 2026
The Springboks kick off their 2026 campaign on Saturday, 4 July, facing England at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. A week later, on 11 July, they take on Scotland at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, followed by a clash with Wales at Kings Park, Durban, on 18 July.
The test series against New Zealand begins on 22 August at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, with the second test set for 29 August at DHL Stadium in Cape Town. The third encounter takes place on 5 September at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, with the venue for the fourth test on 12 September still to be confirmed.
Later in the year, the Springboks will travel for matches against Italy and France during the weekends of 6–8 November and 13–15 November, respectively, with venues yet to be finalised. The season concludes with a meeting against Ireland on 21 November, at a location to be announced.
SA legend warns Springboks about All Blacks
Briefly News also reported that a South African rugby legend sent warnings to the Springboks ahead of their clash with the All Blacks of New Zealand later this year.
The Boks defeated the All Blacks during their run to win the Rugby Championship and would relinquish another tie with them this season.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
