Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg has been called up to replace the injured Grant Williams for the Springboks’ penultimate Rugby Championship clash of 2024 in Argentina.
Williams, who started for the world champions against the All Blacks in Cape Town last week, will miss the Test against Los Pumas at Estadio Unico Madre Ciudades in Santiago on Saturday, 21 September, having been ruled out with an undisclosed arm injury.
Van den Berg – who joined the squad in Stellenbosch on Thursday afternoon – made his debut against Portugal in Bloemfontein and earned his first start in the green and gold against Australia in Perth last month.
With Bok coach Rassie Erasmus looking to give players in his expanded squad a chance to gain valuable game time against the top teams in the world and build squad depth for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, this will offer Van den Berg a valuable opportunity to measure himself against top opposition.
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“It’s always sad to lose a player to injury, and we feel for Grant who has been waiting patiently for his chance to start this season, which he finally achieved last week,” said Erasmus.
“But we have great squad depth, and if one player is injured it opens the door for another player to make a statement. Morne has only played two Tests so far, and facing Argentina at home is a completely different challenge to what he has faced so far, as is the case with many of the younger players in the touring squad.
“If he receives the opportunity to play, it will be a great way for the coaches to see how he handles with that type of pressure, and it would also be a stern test for him personally.”
The Boks returned to training on Thursday after a few days off and sprang into action with a gym session and two field sessions. The squad is set to leave for Argentina on Saturday.
They will tackle the Pumas for the Rugby Championship title in their last two Tests of the competition, first in Santiago followed by a match in Nelspruit on Saturday, 28 September. The Boks begin the two remaining rounds with an eight-point lead at the top of the standings.
Photo: Anton Geyser/AG Media
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
