Matf ield injury a blow for the Boks
BOK lock Victor Matfield’s participation in this year’s Rugby Championship is in doubt after he was ruled out of the competition opener against Argentina.
Matfield has a small knee cartilage tear but, following consultation with an orthopaedic specialist, the injury was deemed serious enough to rule him out of the match and cast a shadow over his availability for the rest of the competition.
His withdrawal is a huge blow for the Springboks who are hoping to hit the ground running with a bonus point win against los Pumas at Loftus Versfeld next Saturday.
Equally, the injury will be a setback to the player who had been in the throes of a successful comeback after he stepped out of retirement at the start of the season.
Matfield had picked up where he left off as line-out kingpin at the Bulls and took over the captaincy when injuries ravaged Frans Ludeke’s team. Although the injury is not considered a serious one Matfield, at the advanced rugby age of 37, will be managed with caution.
With Matfield sidelined, Lood de Jager is likely to graduate to the starting line-up next to Bakkies Botha but a replacement, most likely Stephan Lewies, will be called up to augment the squad.
Botha is likely to start in the number four jersey as Eben Etzebeth is short of game time. He will play his first match since November when he runs out in Western Province’s starting line-up against the EP Kings on Friday.
Etzebeth’s provincial teammate, prop Frans Malherbe who had been out for more than three months with concussion, will also temporarily leave the Bok camp as he takes up a spot on the bench in Port Elizabeth.
“Following medical assessments and consultation between our medical team and those of the various provinces, it was decided to release Eben and Frans for this weekend,” Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said.
“In the cases of Eben and Frans, who both have been out for extended periods of time, the Springboks’ and Western Province’s medical teams decided that the best course of action would be for them to get some game time this weekend.”