Springboks captain’s crushing blow as full extent of latest injury setback revealed
Salmaan Moerat in action for the Springboks against Italy.
The Stormers suffered a setback ahead of the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship season when it was revealed that their captain, Salmaan Moerat, will not be in action when they start their campaign.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus revealed earlier this week that Moerat was set to represent Western Province in their Currie Cup encounter against the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Moerat was amongst seven players who were on standby for the Springboks‘ Rugby Championship Tests against the Wallabies in Johannesburg and Cape Town on August 16 and 23, respectively.
Injured during a training session
However, things went pear-shaped for the Springboks second-rower as he sustained a knee injury during a training session.
“Salmaan, unfortunately, got injured last week,” Erasmus told reporters in Johannesburg. “He would have played [for Western Province against the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup] this week.”
On Tuesday, Western Province assistant coach Dewaldt Duvenage confirmed that Moerat has been sidelined but did not know the full extent of his injury.
“I do know he got an injury during training [with the Stormers], but I don’t really have an update on that,” he said.
“Unfortunately, I think he will be out for the Springboks at the moment.”
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Sidelined for close to two months
However, Moerat has subsequently confirmed to Netwerk24 that he will be sidelined for between six and eight weeks due to his meniscus (cartilage in the knee) injury.
That means the 27-year-old, who has captained the Springboks in three Tests, will not be available to lead the Stormers when they face Leinster in their URC opener in Cape Town on September 26.
The injury also rules him out of the Springboks’ Rugby Championship campaign.
This is the third time that Moerat has sustained a knee injury. In 2022, he tore ligaments during the Stormers’ Champions Cup clash with London Irish and he spent close to a year on the sidelines.
He also tore a chest muscle in the Stormers’ 2023/24 United Rugby Championship opener with the Lions and was ruled out for five months.
Last year, Moerat underwent minor knee surgery that saw him missing South Africa’s end-of-year tour to Europe, and he was also knocked unconscious during an Investec Champions Cup encounter against La Rochelle in Cape Town last April.
