Lood De Jager: Bad News As Springboks Star Suffers Season Ending Injury

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.

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.

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.

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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 finalized. The season concludes with a meeting against Ireland on 21 November, at a location to be announced.

Source: Briefly News