Springbok injuries a concern as they head for Ireland

SPRINGBOK midfielder Jean de Villiers will stay at home when the rest of his team-mates depart on a two-match tour of Ireland and Scotland later today.

It has been confirmed that the 26-year-old centre will be out of action for three weeks with a rib cartilage injury — suffered in the 105-13 World Cup warm-up victory against Namibia on Wednesday evening.

De Villiers was tackled in the back when trying to off-load in the 15-try rout over Ireland’s Group D opponents.

De Villiers, who will miss warm-up matches against Connacht on Tuesday and Scotland on August 25th, hopes to be back to full fitness when the Boks eventually depart for France on Monday, September 3.

De Villiers suffered no serious damage, however, and the cartilage injury will not rule him out of the World Cup — the talented centre having suffered a last-minute injury heartbreak before the 2003 World Cup.

He is expected to recover in time to face England in a crucial Pool A match at Stade de France in St-Denis on September 14. But there is an outside chance that he could even be fit for the opening match against Samoa, in Paris on September 9.

It has also been confirmed that Waylon Murray will join the team for the pre-World Cup trip, but he will head abroad on Monday only. Murray will play for the Sharks, at outside centre, against Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday and then head to Ireland to join up with the Boks.

Murray is expected to receive game time in both fixtures.

Jacques Cronjé, who like Murray is not a member of the World Cup squad, will also travel with the team abroad as Bok coach Jake White nurses a number of key loose forwards back to full fitness.

Cronjé, who played against Namibia at Newlands, will act as cover for injured loose forwards Bob Skinstad (rib) and Danie Rossouw (hamstring). It was expected that Cronjé would play for the Lions in a Currie Cup match against Western Province this weekend, but he is once again required for national duty.

Bok captain John Smit, who missed Wednesday’s walkover against Namibia because of a hamstring strain, will travel with the team. White is not expected to risk his captain if he has not fully recovered and Johann Muller could lead the Boks against Connacht.

The Bok coach will play most of his fringe players when they take on the Irish Provincial outfit. The first-choice XV will then start against Scotland at Murrayfield next Saturday.

The Boks fly out to Ireland later today, play Connacht on Tuesday, travel to Edinburgh on Wednesday and play Scotland next Saturday, before returning home the following Monday.

They will have a farewell function in South Africa on September 2, before flying out to the World Cup in France the next day.