The Springboks were left counting the cost of their bruising second Test loss against Ireland in Durban over the past weekend when Bok coach Rassie Erasmus announced on Tuesday that four star players would miss the start of the Rugby Championship next month.
Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe, Franco Mostert and Malcolm Marx all picked up injuries against the Irish and will be unavailable for the first Test Down Under against Australia at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on August 10.
Kolbe is expected to be available for the second Test in Perth a week later, which Du Toit is expected to be touch and go for, while Mostert and Marx will be in a race against time to be fit for the first All Blacks Test at Ellis Park at the end of August.
Marx injured againMarx was injured in a terrible crocodile roll cleanout at a ruck that saw Ireland captain Caelan Doris yellow carded for his part in it, and it can be considered lucky that he didnt reinjure his knee ligaments, that had kept him out since the World Cup last year, with his first game back against Wales last month.
Franco is out for six weeks, he broke his leg, and Malcolm, I just heard now, hes got a little bit of a tibia fracture from when he got injured (cleaned out), explained Erasmus.
