‘Sad’ blow as Springboks lose in-form star while ‘completely different challenge’ awaits rookie in Argentina
Lions scrum-half Morne van den Berg has been added to the Springboks squad as an injury replacement for Grant Williams ahead of their away Rugby Championship clash with Argentina.
The Springboks and Los Pumas are set to face off in their Round Five encounter in Santiago del Estero on Saturday, September 21.
Williams, who wore the number nine jersey for the world champions during their victory over the All Blacks in Cape Town last weekend, was ruled out of the touring squad due to an arm injury.
Van den Berg made his Test debut off the replacements bench against Portugal in Bloemfontein earlier this year and earned his first start in the green and gold against the Wallabies in Perth last month.
With Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus looking to give players in his expanded squad a chance to gain valuable game time against the world’s leading sides while also building squad depth ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, this will offer Van den Berg valuable opportunity to measure himself against top opposition.
‘Sad’ for Williams who ‘has been waiting patiently for his chance’
“It’s always sad to lose a player to injury, and we feel for Grant who has been waiting patiently for his chance to start this season, which he finally achieved last week,” said Erasmus.
“But we have great squad depth, and if one player is injured it opens the door for another player to make a statement. Morne has only played to two Tests so far, and facing Argentina at home is a completely different challenge to what he has faced so far, as is the case with many of the younger players in the touring squad.
After a few days off, The world champions returned to the training field on Thursday and immediately sprang into action in the gym session and they also had two field training sessions.
The squad will depart for Argentina on Saturday.
South Africa will do battle with Argentina for Rugby Championship title in their last two matches of the competition in Santiago del Estero and at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday, September 28 respectively.
Although Erasmus said they are anticipating a tough battle in a hostile environment in Argentina next weekend, the Boks will enter the last two rounds in a confident mood as they have an eight-point buffer at the top of the standings.
Springbok squad for Argentina tour
Forwards: Thomas du Toit (Bath), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Ox Nche (Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp ( Bulls), Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls)
Backs: Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Canan Moodie (Bulls)
