Springboks suffer another injury blow as Mapimpi returns home
Injured Springbok wing Makazole Mapimpi will return home from the Rugby World Cup in France, SA Rugby announced on Monday.
The 33-year-old World Cup winner suffered an injury during Sunday’s Pool B match against Tonga in Marseille.
South Africa beat Tonga 49-18 in their final pool match, putting the defending champions on the verge of qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Mapimpi was substituted in the 28th minute following a collision with Tongan scrumhalf Augustine Pulu.
SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus says Mapimpi will miss the rest of the World Cup.
“He fractured his eye socket and cheekbone, so he’ll be out for four to six weeks. We’ll miss him as a player and what he brings to the team off the field. But if we get to the final, we’ll fly him and Malcolm Marx back," said Erasmus.
A replacement will be named in the next few days.
"The team will receive a well-deserved break on Monday and Tuesday to rest and recover from the pool stages of the competition and will resume their rugby programme on Wednesday," Erasmus added.
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