“Ah, he’s fine and looking forward to the weekend. He’s had a really good week and trained well. It’s his own personal business and it’s really got nothing to do with us,” Plumtree told the media ahead of the match.

“It’s a very sensitive subject around Siya, and better that we stay out, [but] we’re here for him like you’d expect from a major organisation like the Sharks.”

Plumtree has re-jigged his loose trio from the win over the Glasgow Warriors, shifting Kolisi to No 8, with Phepsi Buthelezi playing off the bench. James Venter comes into the team at flank, joining Vincent Tshituka on the side of the scrum.

Plumtree thinks Kolisi’s switch from flank to No 8 will free up the Bok captain up to get his hands on the ball a lot more to cause Munster some damage.

“I want to see how James Venter, Siya and Vincent go together, I quite like that combination. They’re all three very physical loose forwards,” Plumtree said.

“I think Siya at 8 can free up more of his running game, and he’s also really good on the ball in terms of his poaching.”

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Springboks: Rassie Erasmus explains double call-up as ‘sad’ injury ‘opens the door’ for overlooked duo

Bulls duo Johan Grobbelaar (hooker) and Wilco Louw (prop) have been added to the Springboks squad for their end-of-year tour to Europe, following the injury withdrawal of their club-mate Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

Wessels, who can pack down at prop and hooker, was included in the initial 34-man squad on Tuesday.

However, he has been forced to withdraw from the group due to an ankle injury which he sustained in the Bulls’ United Rugby Championship defeat to the Scarlets last Saturday, prompting Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus to call up Grobbelaar and Louw.

Grobbelaar has regularly been included in Boks squad this season and was in their starting line-up for Tests against Portugal in Bloemfontein and Australia in Perth.

Meanwhile, Louw makes his return for the Boks after playing the last of his 14 Tests in 2021, although he was included on the Boks’ standby list for the incoming Series earlier this year.

The duo’s addition to the group increases the number of players in the squad to 35 – comprising 19 forwards and 16 backs.

‘Always sad to lose a player to injury’

“It’s always sad to lose a player to injury and we wish Jan-Hendrik all the best on his road to recovery, but this opens up the door for Johan and Wilco to make their mark against quality opposition in Scotland, England and Wales,” said Erasmus.

“Jan-Hendrik offered us the luxury of serving as a prop and hooker, but with his versatility out of the picture, we decided to call up a specialist prop and hooker

“Johan has been part of the squad this season and is really growing in his role and in the team, while Wilco has been delivering consistently superb performances for the Vodacom Bulls this season, and he has been knocking on the door for a while now, so I have no doubt he will want to grab this chance with both hands.

“We are certainly excited to see what they bring to the squad, while Wilco’s inclusion also adds to our player stocks as we continue to build our squad depth.”

The Springboks will head to a training camp in Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands situated between England and France, on Sunday, October 27. The Bok squad will then travel to Edinburgh on Sunday, November 3.

South Africa take Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday, November 10, England in London on Saturday, November 16 and Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, November 23.