Boks expect Kolbe, Herschel Jantjies back in training next week

Both Kolbe and Jantjies sat out of training on Friday in Koble as the Springboks returned to the training pitch after a two-day break. 

The players were given two days off after the completion of their pool stage matches to rest and unwind before turning their attention to the knockout stages of the competition.

Kolbe and Jantjies didn’t train with the rest of the squad on Friday and underwent their own treatment for slight niggles picked up over the past 10 days.

Kolbe is nursing an ankle injury from the Springboks win over Italy last Friday while Jantjies picked up a slight hamstring strain in their victory over Canada in Kobe on Tuesday evening.

The Springbok management aren’t sweating too much over the duo and director of rugby Rassie Erasmus is expecting both to return to full training in Tokyo next week.

"Cheslin has that ankle injury that he picked up against Italy, which meant he wasn't available for the last game. He is still nursing that but we are hopeful that he will be training fully on Monday,” Erasmus explained.

"There's a very good chance that he will be available – I would say 80 to 90 per cent. Herschel did a little light hamstring strain but he finished the (Canada) game. At this stage, it is precautionary but it's also one of those where we are a little bit nervous.

"We only have three scrum-halves here so we want to make sure that he rather has more recovery time. So, hopefully on Monday he is also ready to go.” 

The only other player that didn’t join the full team training session was Francois Louw. The flank took a couple of knocks on Tuesday night and is being carefully managed back into action.

"Flo has a few bumps and bruises. One knee is swollen a little bit – he's at that age where after every game, he takes a little bit longer. He'll be fine – we are just managing him a little bit differently to the other guys at this stage."

Ruan Pienaar in the Bok mix?

After giving an update on those three players, this writer asked Erasmus who would be the Springboks replacement scrumhalf if something should happen to either Jantjies, Faf de Klerk or Cobus Reinach.

A number of scrumhalves have been involved in the Springbok setup over the last 18 months, including Ross Cronje, Embrose Papier and Ivan van Zyl as well as Louis Schreuder.

2019 also saw the return of Ruan Pienaar to South African domestic rugby. The Springbok veteran joined the Cheetahs ahead of the Currie Cup and is currently doing duty with them in the Pro14.

Although he had announced his retirement from International Rugby a couple of years ago, Erasmus confirmed today that Pienaar is available for selection. 

Furthermore, the Springbok director of rugby hinted that Pienaar would be his first choice replacement scrumhalf at this stage, given the fact that Pienaar is match fit and playing rugby in the Pro14 at the moment where other South African scrum-halves are in their off season.

"Herschel won't go home – it's definitely not that bad an injury. It's not even a grade one. Cheslin would've been a nice option. But we've got good scrum-halves, and I know Ruan Pienaar is currently playing very well back home,” Erasmus explained.

"The difficult thing for the guys who were in our mix in South Africa is that there is no Currie Cup rugby now, whereas the PRO14 guys are actually playing now. "The guys abroad are playing now – that's why it was so easy to get Damian Willemse in, as he was playing for Saracens.”

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