Injury woes for Springboks: Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit sidelined ahead of second Wallabies Test

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, and wingers Edwill van der Merwe and Kurt-Lee Arendse will all miss the second Test against the Wallabies through injury.

Kolisi sustained a knee injury in the first half at Ellis Park and played on, but he has now been ruled out for at least four weeks. Du Toit picked up a concussion, while Van der Merwe is out with an injured ankle, and Arendse also picked up a knee niggle.

While the world champions will run out at the DHL Stadium without two influential loose forwards, there was some good news with the return of key players like Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe. Outside centre Jesse Kriel will take over the captaincy from Kolisi.

“They are all out,” Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed on Monday.

“You are a bit nervous if a guy like Siya or Pieter-Steph is not available, because then you get a hiding. Not because the other guys didn’t do well, but you are also happy that the other (injured) guys are ready to return.”

Erasmus said they will follow the directives from the doctor in terms of Kolisi’s readiness, especially looking at the Test against the All Blacks at Eden Park in Auckland in a couple of weeks.

On this weekend’s clash, the Bok guru wants to see a response from his side, especially at the breakdown, where the Wallabies outmuscled them. With Kolisi and Du Toit missing, it could become an even more difficult task as they are the Springboks’ specialists in that department.

“If you play beautiful rugby and you lose, you lose. If you play boring rugby and you win, then people are happy. We were totally on the wrong side of that balance on Saturday, and that is not because Tony (Brown) coaches that way.

“It is a trap that we fell into against Italy in the first match when we were 25 points up. You tend to think things are easy and there is so much space. Then a proud country like Australia takes their opportunities.

“We had a proper meeting (on Monday) and the feeling is frustration. But at least we know what we did wrong. That is the most important thing. They totally outplayed us.”