Springboks: Fresh update issued on Siya Kolisi and Ox Nche ahead of All Blacks opener
Ox Nche (left) and Siya Kolisi (right) could be fit to face the All Blacks this weekend
Springboks pair Siya Kolisi and Ox Nche could be fit for their side’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test opener against the All Blacks, in a major boost for Rassie Erasmus’ team.
Both players have missed a number of Springbok Tests in 2026 so far, with Nche suffering an injury just eight minutes into their Nations Championship Test against England; while Kolisi has been plagued with hamstring injuries, missing the entire Nations Championship campaign before coming off just 24 minutes into their 17-10 win over Argentina in his comeback game.
‘Both of them are tracking pretty good’
While they have both had lengthy spells in recent weeks, it seems they are edging towards a return after coming through training today (Tuesday, August 18).
“Both of them are tracking pretty good,” assistant coach Felix Jones detailed of the pair.
“There have been no flags or issues from what we’ve seen today in training. We still have another session during the week, but there’s been nothing majorly negative coming out of either of their recovery plans.”
This update comes after head coach Erasmus previously said they were the ‘only two’ injury concerns within his extended training squad.
“Injury-wise, they (Kolisi and Nche) are probably the only two doubtful players,” the head coach told reporters on Monday (August 17).
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“I wouldn’t say Siya and Ox are still injured; it’s niggles. If they get through today, they might be good for us.”
Springboks delay team announcement
The Springboks will announce their 23-man squad for the Test on Thursday, in an effort to show ‘respect’ to their opponents.
“The announcement only being on Thursday is to respect New Zealand and knowing how tough this one is going to be,” Erasmus explained.
“For this one specifically, we think the less time they have to prepare for our team, the better. So, it’s not an arrogance thing; it’s respect.”
The wait for the team news will leave players still very much pondering their involvement at Ellis Park, but scrum-half Grant Williams believes no matter who gets the nod, the team will ‘represent’ their nation with pride.
“We have to wait until Thursday for the team announcement,” he said. “It might be Morne (van den Berg), Cobus (Reinach), or Herschel (Jantjies), but if I get the honour to play on Saturday, my job will be to make sure the team goes forward.
“I won’t be focused on my position or who’s opposite me, but if I get the opportunity, my job will be to put the team first, and it will be the same for the other players.
“The All Blacks will come out on Saturday guns blazing, but whoever is selected for the weekend will try to front up and make sure we represent South Africa really well.”