South Africa captain Siya Kolisi has been ruled out of Saturday’s Nations Championship clash with Scotland as the Springboks deal with a growing injury list.
The double world champions have confirmed that seven players remain unavailable for selection due to their respective injury concerns, forcing Rassie Erasmus to shuffle his pack for the showdown in Pretoria.
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Kolisi was a dramatic late withdrawal before South Africa’s 45-21 victory over England at Ellis Park after suffering a hamstring strain during Friday’s captain’s run.
The Springbok skipper attempted to prove his fitness during the warm-up but was eventually withdrawn from the side, with Pieter-Steph du Toit taking over the captaincy. Kolisi was subsequently sent for scans to determine the severity of the problem.
Erasmus revealed after the England match that a grade-one strain could take around 10 days to recover from, while a grade-two issue would keep Kolisi sidelined for longer.
Du Toit will now continue as captain against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld.
Springboks injury list
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Siya Kolisi — hamstring
The Springbok captain suffered the injury during the captain’s run on the eve of the England Test. He tried to prove his fitness before kick-off but was eventually withdrawn. Kolisi has now been ruled out of the Scotland match.
Eben Etzebeth — head knock
The veteran lock was another late withdrawal against England after suffering a blow to the head in training earlier in the week and displaying concussion symptoms. Erasmus initially suggested Etzebeth could recover in time for Scotland, but he remains unavailable for selection.
Lood de Jager — unspecified injury
De Jager was already unavailable for the England Test. Erasmus had suggested the experienced lock could potentially return against Scotland, but he has not recovered sufficiently to be considered for selection.
Franco Mostert — unspecified injury
The versatile forward remains sidelined and was previously described by Erasmus as being around two weeks away from a return. He will miss the Scotland clash.
Ox Nche — knee
Nche was forced off early in the victory over England after suffering a knee injury. Erasmus immediately admitted the problem “did not look good”, explaining that it was concerning when a player as tough as the prop said he could not continue.
André Esterhuizen — concussion
The powerful centre, who has also been used as a flanker by the Springboks, suffered a head knock after coming on against England. Erasmus confirmed after the match that Esterhuizen had suffered a concussion and would need further assessment.
Ethan Hooker — unspecified niggle
The versatile back also remains unavailable for selection. South Africa have not publicly disclosed the exact nature of Hooker’s injury.
Ten changes for Scotland
With several senior players unavailable, Erasmus has made 10 changes to the starting XV for Saturday’s clash with Scotland.
Only Jesse Kriel, Damian Willemse, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Paul de Villiers and Ruan Nortje retain their places in the starting line-up from the victory over England.
Du Toit will captain the world champions for the second successive weekend.
HIGHEST-PAID SPRINGBOKS
6 Damian de Allende (£460,000 – Panasonic Wild Knights, Japan)
A model of consistency in the Springbok midfield, Damian de Allende has been well rewarded since moving to Japan. Comfortable at centre and occasionally on the wing, his powerful running and defensive reliability make him a key asset wherever he plays.
De Allende was part of South Africa’s historic World Cup triumphs in both 2019 and 2023, placing him among the elite group of players to have lifted the trophy twice. His contract with Panasonic Wild Knights reflects both his experience at the highest level and his enduring value to the Springbok setup.
5 Handré Pollard (600,000 – Vodacom Bulls, South Africa)
Still regarded as one of the world’s premier fly-halves, Handré Pollard commands a salary befitting his reputation. Although he accepted a pay cut during his time at Leicester Tigers, he remained among rugby’s top earners before returning to South Africa to play for the Bulls.
Pollard famously started in the 2019 World Cup final victory, where he also featured at inside centre, underlining his tactical importance to the Springboks. With spells in Japan, France, England and South Africa, he is one of a select group of players to have won multiple Rugby World Cups.
