Springboks v Ireland: 13 of the world’s best who will miss the epic series in South Africa
The highly anticipated series will take place without some of the best players in the world.
The mouth-watering two-Test series between South Africa and Ireland is closing in, but unfortunately, both sides will not be fully loaded in terms of personnel.
In an ideal world, both these two heavyweights of the game would have a full team to choose from, but that rarely happens in elite sport, such is its brutality.
That is most definitely the case ahead of the matches at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on July 6 and Kings Park in Durban on July 13 as this epic series awaits.
Absent Springboks
Steven Kitshoff
A player reportedly in the frame to possibly take over as captain, if Siya Kolisi is to be relieved of his duties, the absence of the ‘Spicy Plum’ is a setback to the Springboks.
Kitshoff suffered a serious knee injury while on duty for Ulster in April, which was his last act at the province ahead of his return to the Stormers. Fortunately, South Africa is well stocked with looseheads as Ox Nche, Thomas du Toit and Gerhard Steenekamp are top class.
Jean Kleyn
The Munster lock has certainly been in the wars this season, as an eye injury and knee surgery has seen him miss most of the season. Despite the slim chance he could be fit for the July series, South Africa confirmed his absence in their squad announcement on Tuesday.
A glass half-full approach to him missing the series is that hopefully it results in a complete recovery from those two serious issues. Again, the Boks are full of depth in this position.
Lood de Jager
The world-class Springbok lock has been a mainstay in the squad since making his debut back in 2014 and is actually unlucky not to have hit 100 Test caps for South Africa.
De Jager missed the 2023 Rugby World Cup due to a health issue that threatened his career, but he returned to feature for Saitama Wild Knights during the Japanese Rugby League One season. However, he sustained a shoulder injury in the final of the competition and is one of the six World Cup winners included in the Springboks’ injury list.
Cameron Hanekom
After a breakout season with the Bulls, many predicted that the rising star would earn his first Springboks call-up, and it looks as if he would had it not been for a hamstring he sustained in the United Rugby Championship final.
It’s not often that the Springboks would name uncapped players on their injury list, but the 22-year-old has been, which suggests that he would have likely made his Test debut against Ireland.
Henco van Wyk
The other uncapped URC star on the Boks’ injury list is clearly one that the coaching staff certainly believe is a star of the future.
Van Wyk enjoyed a rapid rise in the Lions ranks and may still earn a first Test cap this year once he recovers from his knee injury.
The 23-year-old is a sublime athlete, and whilst the Springboks are well-stocked in the midfield position, he is another star of the future.
Jaden Hendrikse
Another uber-talented young player who is sidelined for the Springboks, Hendrikse will have celebrated his younger brother making his Test debut against Wales, but another setback is limiting his involvement.
A World Cup winner with the Springboks last year, the 24-year-old is expected to feature regularly for the side this year and going forward. He is highly rated in the coaching set-up with his sharp and accurate passing and kicking game, but another shoulder injury means he will miss the July internationals at least.
Canan Moodie
A hand injury ended Moodie’s involvement with the Bulls as they reached the URC final and the 21-year-old’s chances of featuring against Ireland. He is another of the World Cup winners on Rassie Erasmus’ injury list and adds to their woes on the wing.
Damian Willemse
A finger injury against Connacht abruptly ended Willemse’s Stormers season. The injury required surgery, and he will also miss the July internationals.
Last year, he became the youngest-ever double Rugby World Cup winner, and after becoming the first-choice full-back, he was on track to continue that role this year. But may need to wait until the Rugby Championship.
Absent Irish
Jamison Gibson-Park
One of the players Ireland could not afford to lose, Gibson-Park has been a mainstay in the team in recent years, usurping Conor Murray as the first-choice scrum-half. Since arriving at Leinster from the Hurricanes in New Zealand, he’s gone from strength to strength, and his absence due to a hamstring injury is a seismic blow. Such an intelligent, calm and slick operator at the base, Ireland and this series will miss the great Gibson-Park.
Hugo Keenan
Lost to Sevens for the time being, Leinster sorely missed the full-back in the season run-in and one wonders if it will be a similar story for Ireland.
A player who rarely has an average day at the office, Keenan ticks just about every box at full-back and, like Gibson-Park, he leaves a noticeable hole in the squad. Who fills in at number 15 remains to be seen, with Jimmy O’Brien and Ciaran Frawley the most likely options available to coach Andy Farrell.
Jack Conan
The consistent number eight will miss the trip to South Africa due to personal reasons, and subsequently, Ireland lose a real impact man off the bench.
Conan regularly replaces Peter O’Mahony, which means Caelan Doris shifts to blindside to accommodate his Leinster team-mate, and it tends to have an impact on their game.
This could open the door for the likes of Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney or Cian Prendergast for a bench spot during this massive series.
Ireland squad winners and losers as Andy Farrell snubs Munster stars for Springboks series
Iain Henderson
A big blow to the Ireland second-row stocks, with the experienced Ulster captain ruled out of the series, having undergone surgery on an injured toe.
Ireland certainly have the lock depth to compensate for Henderson’s injury for the tour to South Africa, but he is still a classy talent and a real leader in the squad, having skippered his country before.
Mack Hansen
There were hopes that the brilliant winger would recover in time for the series to South Africa but it was not to be as Hansen struggles to make his way back onto the rugby pitch after a dislocated shoulder.
The 26-year-old missed Ireland’s Six Nations campaign through injury, and we hope that he will finally be back fit and firing for the November internationals.
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