South Africa prop Ox Nche will miss this year’s Rugby Championship with a pectoral muscle issue, SA Rugby announced on Wednesday.
Nche, 27, sustained the injury on Tuesday and will be sidelined for Saturday’s campaign-opening test with Australia, next weekend’s trip to New Zealand and 29 July’s game with Argentina.
The Sharks loose head had been named to start this weekend’s game against the Wallabies. He has been replaced by Steven Kitshoff, who had been due to fly with an early travel party to New Zealand this week before the All Blacks game.
SA Rugby said Nche would be out for “several weeks” with the Rugby World Cup holders also playing three pre-tournament tests in August. “We are particularly sad for Ox because he’s been working very hard in the last few months and making a great contribution on and off the field,” head coach Jacques Nienaber said in an SA Rugby statement.
“We wish him a speedy recovery. We have always emphasised the importance of being adaptable as a team and that will be particularly important this season with the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, World Cup warm-up games and the global showpiece itself coming up,” he added.
South Africa start their defence of the World Cup on September 10 by playing Scotland and also face contenders Ireland as well as Romania and Tonga in the group stage.
Meanwhile, the Springboks have included ex-Ireland international Jean Kleyn in their squad for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, but ahead of his Springbok debut on Saturday, the Munster lock left no doubt as to where his loyalties lie.
Kleyn has never made it a secret that his first love was to represent the Springboks, but a move to Munster and subsequent selection for the 2019 Rugby World Cup was an opportunity he couldn’t let by.
Springbok team to play Wallabies tomorrow
Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Jean Kleyn, Marvin Orie, Marco van Staden, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen (captain), Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Andre Esterhuizen, Lukhanyo Am Canan Moodie and Willie le Roux.
Replacements: Joseph Dweba, Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Evan Roos, Deon Fourie, Grant Williams and Damian Willemse.