Some tough Bok choices

The Springboks are gearing up to head off for their November end-of-year tour to the UK, with the team expected to fly out of South Africa at the end of next week.

The South African-based players have been enjoying a well-deserved break with their families after they spent over four months in a bio-secure environment after coming together in June ahead of the Lions Series, before moving straight into the Rugby Championship.

The Boks were brought back down to earth in the Rugby Championship after winning their opening two games against Argentina and went on a three-match losing streak, going down twice to Australia and once to New Zealand.

However they bounced back superbly to win their final match against the All Blacks and will take a lot of confidence from that performance into the tour, where they will face Wales, Scotland and England.

A number of key Bok players such as flank Pieter-Steph du Toit, lock RG Snyman and prop Frans Malherbe, are all ruled out through injury.

Question marks remain over the availability of scrumhalf Faf de Klerk (hip) along with the unavailability of Jaden Hendrikse.

Herschel Jantjies (above) and Cobus Reinach would most likely be the senior scrumhalves, but one wonders if Ruan Pienaar might be looked at as a third choice based on experience and current good form.

Another injury concern is that of fleet-footed wing Cheslin Kolbe, who did not recover from his knee injury during the Rugby Championship and has yet to feature for his new club Toulon.

The squad will be announced on Tuesday, with a large 38-man group set to be named.

The team were set to fly to France to isolate for 10 days ahead of entering the UK, but South Africa have been taken off the red list, and they may be able to fly direct.