Ahead of the year-end tour, South Africa’s second row stocks are starting to show very promising signs.
The most recent positive news was from Ireland.
Before Saturday’s United Rugby Championship Round Three encounter between Leinster and Benetton at Stadio Comunale di Monigo in Treviso, coach Leo Cullen provided an update on injuries.
Lock and two-time World Cup winner RG Snyman will intensify his recovery regimen this week in anticipation of his return from a foot injury.
Prior to Australia’s Rugby Championship match in August, Snyman had to withdraw unexpectedly.
The towering lock’s foot injury prevented him from playing in South Africa’s 33-7 victory over Australia.
Just a few hours before kickoff, the lock who was named in the starting lineup was removed off the team.
In his absence, Ben-Jason Dixon started at flank, and utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit covered the lock position.
Snyman’s impending comeback comes after that of fellow World Cup-winning lock Jean Kleyn, who returned to action during Munster’s defeat to Zebre last weekend.
The 31-year-old sustained an injury when playing for Munster in the URC in November. He made his debut for the Springboks during the lead-up to the World Cup in France last year, having represented Ireland at the 2019 competition.
After helping South Africa win a record-tying fourth World Cup title by defeating the All Blacks 12-11 in the Final in Paris in October, that was his first game back for the province.
Munster said that he would be out until the New Year following the injury in November.
That quickly changed to “for the remainder of the season,” though.
Later on, it was disclosed that he had visited a specialist in America, and rumours started to circulate that Munster may not have had the most catastrophic damage.
Eben Etzebeth, the most-capped player in South African history, teamed up with Ruan Nortje to lead South Africa to a 48-7 victory over Argentina at Nelspruit this past weekend.
Franco Mostert is recovering from a leg injury he sustained in July against Ireland. Mostert started alongside Etzebeth in the World Cup Final victory over New Zealand.