Rassie Erasmus Gives Siya Kolisi and Ox Nche New Injury Update Before All Blacks Test
- Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed that Siya Kolisi and Ox Nché are the only two players carrying niggles ahead of the All Blacks opener
- Kolisi hurt his hamstring against Argentina, while Nché has not played since suffering a knee injury against England earlier this year
- Erasmus revealed the team will only be named on Thursday, explaining the decision as a mark of respect for New Zealand
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Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has provided a cautiously optimistic fitness update on captain Siya Kolisi and loosehead prop Ox Nche, with both players needing to come through Monday's training session before being considered available for Saturday's Rugby's Greatest Rivalry opener against the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
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Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Erasmus confirmed that Kolisi and Nché are the only two members of the squad carrying concerns ahead of the first of four Tests in the series.
Kolisi and Nché race against time
Kolisi has been dealing with a hamstring problem picked up during the match against Argentina, where he spent just over 20 minutes on the pitch. Ox Nché has been sidelined for even longer after suffering a knee injury during a Test against England earlier this year.
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Erasmus confirmed that Kolisi and Nché remain the only injury concerns in the squad. He explained that Franco Mostert is progressing well, while Kolisi and Nché are not considered to be carrying serious injuries but are instead managing minor niggles. If both players came through Monday’s training session without any issues, they could be available for selection.
Both Kolisi and Nché remain key figures in South Africa’s plans for the series, meaning their absence from the opening Test would be a major blow to the Springboks.
Team naming delayed out of respect
Erasmus, who was joined at the press conference by national laws advisor Jaco Peyper, also explained that the Springboks would delay announcing their starting lineup until Thursday to give New Zealand less time to prepare for the match. He stressed that the decision was driven by respect for their opponents rather than arrogance.
Erasmus also explained that Peyper attended the press conference to address technical questions regarding match tempo and officiating.
He noted that New Zealand had already played three matches before the series and that discussions had increasingly focused on the technical aspects of game speed and efforts to slow the game down.
England star now eligible for Springboks
Briefly News also reported that an English international is set to switch allegiance and represent the South African men's rugby team at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Erasmus has reportedly made contact with the player over the possibility of representing the defending champions.
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Source: Briefly News
