The Springboks were given a boost on Thursday with the news that World Player of the Year Malcolm Marx is fit and ready to take his place for the World Champions and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cobus Reinach will both be back ahead of the Greatest Rivalry Tour.
Marx was injured for his club in Japan and missed the League One final, but Bok coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed that Marx “is fine” and will be ready to be selected for the Nations Championship test opener against England next month.
While the Boks have a long list of injuries, the good news is that only two of these players - lock RG Snyman and Flanker Kwagga Smith - are out of action for the entire season.
Others will return at different stages during the season with the Bok coac playing down talk of any crisis in the team.
Rassie Erasmus has provided a full injury update for the Springboks ahead of the 2026 season which kicks off next weekend 🇿🇦🤕#SSRugby | #Springboks pic.twitter.com/9Ja0pjgos1
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“Eben will be ready, Malcolm is also ready,” Erasmus confirmed. “If you look at the really long-term injuries, the guys who will only be ready next year, it’s probably only RG and Kwagga.
“Those are the players who would regularly feature in our match 23. The other injuries are mostly players still finding their feet in the system or guys who haven’t consistently been part of the match-day squad.”
Erasmus also confirmed Grant Williams is ready for action again, while Morne van den Berg will be back for the All Black Series. The same for Ethan Hooker and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
“Krappies will possibly be available by the time we play New Zealand , or even Scotland and Wales [in July],” Erasmus said.
“Sacha should be ready about four weeks before the New Zealand matches. Ethan is on a similar timeline. Cobus Reinach could be ready for England, but it will be a push. If he hears me say this he will get upset, but he will probably only join the squad after the three incoming matches.”
LONG-TERM INJURIES
Erasmus also gave updates on several other Bok squad members.
“Marnus van der Merwe has a long-term injury. Frans Malerbe and Trevor Nyakane haven't come back yet, but we hope they can. Ruan Venter is somebody that we really thought can do it this year for us at front lock. He's also a long-term injury.
“Deon Fourie is obviously a guy that we're always calling on if we could need him, and unfortunately, he also is out. But, I mean, Deon would have probably not made the match at 23 in most of the games.
“He could have been when we rotated, if we were really in trouble. Then Kwagga (Smith) is out long-term until next year only. Jean-Luc is out long-term. Jaden (Hendrikse is out).
Erasmus also had news on some of the more senior players - like the Boks’ most capped player Eben Etzebeth, saying some would be rested.
“Eben will be ready, some guys, who just played a lot of rugby, will rest for the Barbarians. I mean, like Damian De Allende and Gaza (Damian Willemse) played a lot of rugby. We'll still be making our decisions there.”
The Boks will move to Gqeberha on Sunday after a few days at home to begin their preparations for the Barbarians game.
🔟 days to go until the #Springboks open their 2026 season against @Barbarian_FC in Gqeberha ⚡
— Springboks (@Springboks) June 10, 2026
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