PRETORIA (Reuters) – Prop Steven Kitshoff has been brought into the starting line-up for South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener against Australia in Pretoria after Ox Nche picked up a pectoral muscle injury, officials said on Wednesday.
Kitshoff was supposed to be on his way to New Zealand as part of an advanced party of players ahead of the Springboks’ second fixture in Auckland in July 15, but has been held back.
Nche has been ruled out of the remainder of the southern hemisphere competition and will work on his fitness ahead of the Rugby World Cup in France starting in September.
Former Junior Springbok prop Gerhard Steenekamp has been drafted into the squad for Saturday’s game in Pretoria.
“It’s never ideal to lose a player to injury days before an important test match, but unfortunately it’s part of the game,” Bok coach Jacques Nienaber said.
“We are particularly sad for Ox because he’s been working very hard in the last few months and making a great contribution on and off the field.”
South Africa team:
15 – Willie le Roux, 14 – Canan Moodie, 13 – Lukhanyo Am, 12 – Andre Esterhuizen, 11 – Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 – Manie Libbok, 9 – Cobus Reinach, 8 – Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 – Marco van Staden, 5 – Marvin Orie, 4 – Jean Kleyn, 3 – Frans Malherbe, 2 – Bongi Mbonambi, 1 – Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
16 – Joseph Dweba, 17 – Thomas du Toit, 18 – Vincent Koch, 19 – RG Snyman, 20 – Evan Roos, 21 – Deon Fourie, 22 – Grant Williams, 23 – Damian Willemse.
(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)
