Springbok Cheslin Kolbe will miss the fourth test against the All Blacks after breaking his jaw during South Africa's 29-24 victory over New Zealand on Saturday. Six players in total will not play in the final match.
According to Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, Kolbe sustained the injury early in the match at the FNB Stadium in Soweto and left the field after about ten minutes. Erasmus confirmed after the match that Kolbe's jaw is broken and that he will not travel to the USA with the squad. Kolbe started the match as fullback after Damian Willemse was unavailable due to injury. He had previously sustained an injury that kept him out of the first test against the All Blacks, but was cleared to play in the second test in Cape Town afterwards.
The Springboks won 29-24 despite Kolbe's early injury, taking a two-one lead in the four-test series. The fourth test will be decided next Saturday in Baltimore in the USA. Erasmus said the Springboks have other options for the fullback position. Carlu Sadie, Boan Venter, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Cobus Wiese and Ben-Jason Dixon have not been included for the final match.
Sources: Planet Rugby, All Blacks, SA Rugby Magazine and RugbyLad
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
