*Note: This is an updated article on the illness of Lood de Jager
On Tuesday, the Springboks dropped a triple bombshell when it was confirmed that flyhalf Handre Pollard (calf injury), Lukhanyo Am (knee strain) and Lood de Jager (chest problem) were not fit enough to be included in the World Cup squad.
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De Jager had to be withdrawn from the team planning for the recent Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires, and while there hasn’t been much detail on his illness to date, it was stated he is undergoing specialist evaluation for a chest problem.
Following Tuesday’s squad announcement, coach Jacques Nienaber also implied that it was a private matter: “People will understand, and it is not my place to elaborate on that (De Jager’s illness). I know what it is, but it is not for me to say.”
It’s since been revealed that De Jager is suffering from pericarditis, a minor heart condition which a player can develop from exercising when sick.
De Jager should only be out for up to four weeks, but he has to have meaningful rest during this period, and is not allowed to even walk at full pace.
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Lood de Jager is on World Cup ‘standby’
Nienaber also announced that nine players would be placed on standby – five of whom will travel with the team to Cardiff and London for their last two World Cup warm-up matches against Wales (19 August) and New Zealand (25 August).
The nine players are Am (centre), Joseph Dweba (hooker), De Jager (lock), Jean-Luc du Preez (utility forward), Thomas du Toit (prop), Herschel Jantjies (scrumhalf), Pollard (flyhalf), Evan Roos (No 8) and Gerhard Steenekamp (prop). The five travelling to the UK on Saturday are Dweba, Du Toit, Du Preez, Pollard and Am.
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The Springboks’ squad did have an unexpected look to it
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Nienaber added: “Since Rassie (Erasmus – SA Rugby Director of Rugby) and I returned to South Africa in 2018 we’ve been building to the 2023 World Cup, and we are pleased with where we are, going into this World Cup.
“The coaches and players have put in a helluva lot work in the last few years, and we have the luxury of naming a squad that features a big group of players who know what it takes to win a World Cup and who will enter the tournament with vast international experience.
“The younger players have also showed in the last two seasons that they can match some of the top players in the world, so we believe we are better prepared as a team going into this tournament.
“We still have two warm-up games left and a road to travel to build player combinations and fine tune the areas of our game that we feel we need to improve on, so we are by no means the final product at this stage.”
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