Rugby
Willemse ruled out for end-of-year tour─── MORGAN PIEK 07:26 Mon, 28 Oct 2024
The Springboks have confirmed that they’ve had to make another injury-enforced change to their squad for the end-of-year tour to the United Kingdom.
The versatile Stormers and Boks backline player, Damian Willemse, has been ruled out with a groin injury just weeks after making his return following a long-term layoff.
Willemse sustained the injury during the Stormers’ 28-17 defeat to the Glasgow Warriors in the United Championship on Saturday.
‘Wessels covered at hooker and prop, hence the inclusion of two players’
He has been replaced in the squad by the exciting Bulls loose-forward, Cameron Hanekom, who himself got injured earlier in the year when he was on the verge of being called up to the Springboks.
Earlier in the week the Bulls duo of Wilco Louw and Johan Grobbelaar were added to the Springbok squad following the withdrawal of Jan-Hendrik Wessels due to an ankle injury. Wessels covered at hooker and prop, hence the inclusion of two players.
Cameron Hanekom. Photo: Morgan Piek
The Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus, conceded that the injury to Willemse is a big blow for the tour, especially considering that he has not played for the World Champions this year at all.
“Damian has been in great form at the Stormers since returning from injury and we feel for him after missing out on all ten Test matches this season due to a finger injury,” said Erasmus.
‘We are excited to see what Cameron brings to the team’
“But as was the case with Wilco and Johan’s call-up, we are excited to see what Cameron brings to the team. He was in the group of players included in our alignment camps earlier in the year, so he’s familiar with some of our structures and the Springbok ethos, and we have no doubt he will grab this opportunity with both hands.
“We are comfortable with the depth and versatility we have among the backs in the squad, so we decided to include another forward to add to our loose forward stocks.”
The Springboks will tackle Scotland next week on Sunday (3/11) at Murrayfield in their first Test on tour.