There are several players who will not travel with the Springboks to the USA for the final Test against the All Blacks.
The fourth Test between the Springboks will take place at M&T Stadium in Baltimore, USA, this Saturday (kick off at 23:00 SA time), with South Africa looking to clinch a 3-1 series win after an important win at FNB Stadium.
However, Rassie Erasmus has revealed that Cheslin Kolbe, who left the field with an injury in the first half on Saturday, had fractured his jaw and will not make the trip to the USA.
Also staying behind are props Carlu Sadie, Boan Venter, and Ntuthuko Mchunu, as well as utility forwards Cobus Wiese and Ben-Jason Dixon.
In some good news, though, backs Damian Willemse, Grant Williams and Canan Moodie, all of whom had struggled with injuries in recent weeks, are fit and will travel to the USA.
Both teams will share a flight to the USA to prepare for the final match on Saturday night in a tour that has lived up to its branding as “Like no Other”.
Erasmus said: “Hopefully me and Dave (Rennie, All Blacks head coach) will have a beer. His will be a little bit more bitter and mine will be a little sweeter. But then on Sunday we arrive there and we get into camp again.
“We assess the injuries; we start planning and it’s number one and two again. It’s the greatest rivalry and we play to try and win the series, and they will try and to draw the series. So, no, it’s going to be flipping important.”
The Springboks trailed in the match until the 58th minute and only established a two-score lead with ten minutes remaining in a match of high action and drama.
Erasmus said: “We are happy tonight. It was epic. It was intense. I think the scoreboard at the end showed how close the game was. We’re just happy we won.
“Now we’re on the same flight and now we must try and go replicate that in Baltimore. They were definitely on top (in the first half). All of us I think envy the way they can handle the ball and they’re certainly brilliant at that. Luckily we went in level at halftime which gives you some hope.
“I’m not sure what my heart rate was but we were certainly nervous. And I think they were nervous.
“It’s massive, this is. You’re playing number one and two in the world and it switches one week to the next and it certainly lives up to that (hype), and I can tell you now, we’re not sitting here thinking we are flipping awesome. We’re thinking there was also a lot of luck that that went our way.”
Friday, 7 August:
Stormers 21-38 New Zealand
, Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Tuesday, 11 August:
Sharks 0-54 New Zealand
, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
Saturday, 15 August:
Bulls 19-50 New Zealand
, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Saturday, 22 August:
First Test,
Springboks 16-33 New Zealand
, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Tuesday, 25 August:
Lions 35-41 New Zealand
, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Saturday, 29 August:
Springboks 33-26 New Zealand,
Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Saturday, 5 September:
Springboks 29-24 New Zealand
, FNB Stadium, Johannesburg – 17:10
Saturday, 12 September:
Springboks v All Blacks, Fourth Test, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, United States – kick off at 23:00 (SA time)
