The Springboks team was riddled with injuries after their physical battle with the All Blacks in a pulsating Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test encounter in Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday. Influential players such as Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira and Ruan Pienaar were taken off the field of play with injuries.
The Boks lost 14-13 and were ultimately denied at the death by a gallant All Blacks outfit that killed off the game when Kieran Read received a killer pass from Aaron Cruden and combined well with captain Richie McCaw to score New Zealand’s try in the second half.
While Zimbabwean born Mtawarira left the field bleeding from the nose following a messy tackle, Pienaar was stretched off in what is likely to be a long injury layout. He will go for scans on Monday to determine the extent of the injury.
The Boks lost 14-13 and were ultimately denied at the death by a gallant All Blacks outfit that killed off the game when Kieran Read received a killer pass from Aaron Cruden and combined well with captain Richie McCaw to score New Zealand’s try in the second half.
While Zimbabwean born Mtawarira left the field bleeding from the nose following a messy tackle, Pienaar was stretched off in what is likely to be a long injury layout. He will go for scans on Monday to determine the extent of the injury.
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Pienaar injured his medial cruciate knee ligaments and the Boks medical staff has ruled him out for the remainder of the competition.
He will be replaced by the experienced JP Pietersen. Pietersen, a stalwart of the Springboks in the last eight seasons, will join the squad when they get together in Cape Town next Sunday evening. He was not available earlier in the competition.
“JP has always been part of our plans and did very well in June playing at outside centre. We’ve hot two scrumhalves in the squad in Francois Hougaard and Cobus Reinach and decided it would be better to bring in an outside back such as JP, who covers wing and outside centre,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
He will be replaced by the experienced JP Pietersen. Pietersen, a stalwart of the Springboks in the last eight seasons, will join the squad when they get together in Cape Town next Sunday evening. He was not available earlier in the competition.
“JP has always been part of our plans and did very well in June playing at outside centre. We’ve hot two scrumhalves in the squad in Francois Hougaard and Cobus Reinach and decided it would be better to bring in an outside back such as JP, who covers wing and outside centre,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
By: Farai Diza
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