The Springboks are facing a major blow ahead of their summer internationals after Irish province Leinster confirmed that lock RG Snyman is likely to miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury.
The towering second-row collided with Alex Samuel during Leinster’s recent United Rugby Championship clash with Glasgow Warriors, leaving the current URC holders without one of their key players for the remainder of the campaign.
Extended absence confirmed
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen confirmed the severity of the injury when asked about Snyman’s availability for an extended period.
“Yeah, he will be out for a while. I will probably get a full report out next week,” Cullen said.
“Unfortunately, he is going to miss a while. It is different from his other leg [ACL, left knee] that he would have injured previously. He could be out for a while.”
Springboks summer plans in jeopardy
The injury’s impact on the Springboks remains unclear, but Snyman’s extended absence makes his participation in the upcoming Nations Championship highly unlikely. The tournament begins in July with fixtures against England, Scotland, and Wales.
There is also concern over Snyman’s availability for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks, which would represent a massive blow to the Springboks’ plans.
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Key fixtures under threat
Nations Championship:
- Saturday, 4 July: Springboks v England (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
- Saturday, 11 July: Springboks v Scotland (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
- Saturday, 18 July: Springboks v Wales (Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban)
Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry:
- Saturday, 22 August: Springboks v All Blacks – First Test, Johannesburg
- Saturday, 29 August: Springboks v All Blacks – Second Test, Cape Town
- Saturday, 5 September: Springboks v All Blacks – Third Test, Johannesburg
- Saturday, 12 September: Springboks v All Blacks – Fourth Test, Baltimore, USA
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Snyman has endured lengthy injury layoffs previously in his career, making this latest setback particularly frustrating for both player and country.
