Kolisi and Nche may miss South Africa Test against New Zealand / Photo: Stefano RELLANDINI - AFP
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Kolisi and Nche may miss South Africa Test against New Zealand
South Africa captain and flanker Siya Kolisi and prop Ox Nche could miss the first Test against New Zealand, head coach Rassie Erasmus said on Monday.
The top-ranked Springboks face the second-ranked All Blacks in Johannesburg on Saturday in the first match of a four-Test series between the arch rivals.
"Regarding injuries, there are probably only two doubtful players, Kolisi and Nche," Erasmus told reporters.
Nche has not played since suffering a knee injury in a Nations Championship triumph over England in Johannesburg during July.
The first Test appearance of the season for injury-prone Kolisi lasted only 25 minutes in Argentina this month before a hamstring injury forced him off.
Should the duo be unavailable, Paul de Villiers could replace Kolisi with Gerhard Steenekamp stepping in for Nche.
Erasmus said there were no other injury issues ahead of the eagerly-awaited clash between the two nations who have won seven of the 10 Rugby World Cup tournaments.
The Springboks head coach traditionally names his matchday 23 on Mondays, whereas other countries wait until Thursdays.
But Erasmus said that this week he will delay naming his team until Thursday, the same day New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie is set to announce his starting XV.
"We know this one will be tough and the less time they have to prepare for our team, the better," he said.
Erasmus also dismissed reports that South Africa would try to slow down the Test to upset New Zealand, who have played high tempo, ball-in-hand rugby in three tour wins over franchises.
- 'Balance' -
"If you go look at our last two games against New Zealand, in Auckland and Wellington last year, were those two games slow?" asked Erasmus.
"We think there is a certain way to win World Cups, which is a grind (slower game style).
"So, we have tried to find a balance between that and a quicker style. It is a system that we can fall back on in clutch situations.
"Since (attack coach) Tony Brown has been with us we feel we have been attacking all right and not too badly."
Meanwhile, New Zealand have suffered another blow with a knee cartilage injury forcing prop Ollie Norris to return home.
Loosehead Ethan de Groot and tighthead Tyrel Lomax were the starting props when New Zealand beat Ireland in their last Test on July 18.
He is the fourth All Black, after hooker George Bell, centre Billy Proctor and wing Caleb Clarke, to have his tour cut short by injury.
No replacement has been named for Norris, but scrum-half Noah Hotham has been added to the touring squad as cover for Cortez Ratima.
Ratima, one of two All Blacks to play in the three pre-Test victories over the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls, is nursing a knee injury.
First choice scrum-half Cameron Roigard missed all three build-up matches in South Africa due to injury, but Rennie is confident he will be available for the first Test.
P.A.Villalba--GBA
