‘The Beast’ doubtful for Boks
The 25-year-old Sharks loosehead has started all three Tests on tour but picked up the injury in the 21-17 defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield.
His fitness will be monitored during the week before a decision is made on his availability.
Should Mtawarira, nicknamed ‘The Beast’, be ruled out, CJ van der Linde is likely to be the man to deputise, and scrum coach Os du Randt believes the Springboks have the strength to cope with any front-row injury problems.
“CJ van der Linde covers both prop positions and we have Coenie Oosthuizen who has been making his way as a loosehead,” said Du Randt.
“He was a tighthead at school and has the ability to play there in the future but for now it’s better to phase him in as a loosehead, where he made his senior debut as a 19-year-old. He has the talent and the ability to play for the Springboks for a long time.”
Du Randt, a World Cup winner in 1995 and 2007, also hopes to see a positive reaction from the tourists following that defeat in Edinburgh.
“Scotland used their defeat by the All Blacks to motivate them against us. We can use the disappointments of Saturday in the same way,” he added.
Anthony Allen, James Simpson-Daniel and Chris Robshaw have been called up to the England squad as injury cover. Allen and Simpson-Daniel replace London Wasps centres Riki Flutey (calf injury) and Dominic Waldouck (posterolateral disc bulge), who are both undergoing rehabilitation with their club under the Wasps and England medical teams.
Robshaw is cover for Joe Worsley (London Wasps) who has a cheek injury that is being monitored by the England medics.
Meanwhile, New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu has described the fall-out from his ban for striking England captain Lewis Moody with his head as the toughest period of his eight-year international career.
The 31-year-old Blues forward was initially handed a four-week suspension after being cited over the incident, which appeared to show him butting Moody as the flanker lay on the ground during the All Blacks’ 26-16 victory at Twickenham.
That ban was reduced to two weeks on appeal, with the hearing ruling that while an act of foul play had been committed, Mealamu’s actions had been unintentional.
As a result the 82-cap front-rower missed the wins in Scotland and Ireland, with Hikawera Elliott deputising, but is available for selection as Graham Henry’s side look to clinch a third successful Grand Slam tour in six seasons against Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
And Mealamu admits it has been tough having to look on, and spoke of his relief at being cleared of an intentional butt by that appeal hearing.
“I definitely think (it has been the toughest period of my career) there is nothing worse than being suspended,” he said.
“I have had good support from the team and from family at home and that has been really important to me.”
And Mealamu is adamant the suspension will not see him change his game when it comes to the tackle area. He said: “It may be at the back of my mind but I have to do my job, which is to remove people from the ruck if they are getting in the way or slowing the ball down.
“You have to be physical to be able to move people but I may be a little more careful.”
New Zealand enter Saturday’s Cardiff contest having not lost to Wales in 57 years, and the home side’s hopes of ending that miserable run appear to be slim at best following their dire display in Friday’s 16-16 draw with Fiji.
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