The Springboks have suffered yet another injury blow, with the news that utility back Francois Hougaard will miss the end-of-year tour to Europe.
Hougaard’s English club, Worcester Warriors, said in a statement that Hougaard had returned from Bok duty with a shoulder injury and will be out of action for up to three months.
It follows the hamstring injury that has ruled Francois Louw out of the November internationals, while it is understood that Juan de Jongh will also miss the trip with a hip problem.
“We are extremely disappointed that Francois returned to the club with an undiagnosed injury. As a club, player welfare is our priority and we will be using our every resource to ensure that Francois has access to the right surgeon and that he receives the highest level of support during his rehabilitation,” Worcester high performance director Nick Johnston said on the club’s website.
Worcester explained that Hougaard had been diagnosed with an injury only after returning to England, and he was then examined by specialists and had an MRI scan done to find out the extent of the injury. He will require “Biceps Tenodesis” – which is an operation to treat biceps tendonitis of the shoulder – and repairs to his rotator cuff.
Hougaard was playing at wing for the Boks during the Rugby Championship, but may have moved back to his preferred scrumhalf position for the November tour to Europe as Independent Media understands that specialist wings Ruan Combrinck and JP Pietersen will be back in the Bok squad that will be named after the Currie Cup final on Saturday evening.
In addition, Cheetahs star Sergeal Petersen is expected to make the wing group as well, along with Bryan Habana.
Rudy Paige is set to be back from concussion for the games against the Barbarians, England, Italy and Wales, and is likely to be the first-choice scrumhalf.
Faf de Klerk started against the All Blacks in Durban in Paige’s enforced absence, and now that Hougaard is unavailable, it could see someone like Ruan Pienaar getting a call-up as an experienced back-up.
Bok coach Allister Coetzee is known to rate Pienaar highly and was going to call him up for the first Test series of the year against Ireland, but the player declared himself unavailable at the time.
And whether the 32-year-old is available for the November tour is up in the air, as Ulster’s Pienaar – who has 88 Test caps – told the Belfast Telegraph in September that he is retiring from international rugby. “I think that’s probably it. I’m happy with my decision, I’ll put my energy into Ulster now and whatever is waiting for me in the next year or two. I’m still supporting the guys, but that’s probably the end,” said Pienaar.
The next-in-line at halfback is the Bulls’ Piet van Zyl, who was brought in as cover for the All Black Test and has two Test caps to his name.
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