Pieter–Steph du Toit will be out for some time.

South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber has confirmed that P ieter–Steph du Toit will be out “for some time” after undergoing shoulder surgery following an injury picked up in the second Test against the British & Irish Lions.

The 2019 World Rugby player of the year came off clutching his shoulder in the first half of the second Test following a controversial tackle by Lions winger Duhan van der Merwe just after du Toit had passed the ball. He tried to play on but was unable to do so and was eventually replaced by Kwagga Smith.

He missed the final Test in which the Springboks clinched the series, and will miss the opening of the Rugby Championship, where South Africa face Argentina at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday. Despite not being named in South Africa’s 42-man squad for the Championship, Nienaber was unable to give an exact timeframe as to how long the flanker will be out for.

“Pieter-Steph had surgery on Monday, I spoke to him briefly, it went well,” Nienaber said. “So I think he is going to be out for some time.

“On Pieter-Steph, I’m not 100% sure [how long he will be out for]. He texted me last night, on Monday evening, then I spoke to him this morning on how it is going.

“He said after the game that he is going in for the operation and we had a quick chat on Sunday, he said congrats to the boys and we just spoke about his contribution in the two Tests that he was involved, but I’m not 100% sure. I would lie if I put a timeframe on it, so I’m not sure.”

Du Toit was replaced in the back-row by Franco Mostert in the third Test as the Springboks secured a 19-16 win, with Morne Steyn kicking the winning points in the match.

So we are not sure. Thanks for the info Krutch. Maybe Josè can provide more clarity. 

I think the whole rugby world knows how close the Springboks came to losing the Lions series after we lost the magnificent Pieter-Steph to injury. 

You don't just replace the World Rugby Player of the Year and Player of the World Cup with any old player and expect to win a series . . . but Franco Mostert did okay. Don't want to get into the whole Mostert and where should he play debate, but if you have a huge, athletic, hard-working beast of a man like PSdT fit, then you play him in his best position and fill in the gaps around him.

I've always preferred PSdT at lock. A lock pair of PSdT and RG Snyman with Eben on the bench for his impact (or if you need someone to pull faces and act tough . . . or high tackle someone) and you chuck the two du Preez twins at #7 and #8 retaining Siya as skipper, together with almost any combination of our current front row stocks and you have a formidable pack that would put the All Blacks in their place.

Glad to see you apear to backing the Bokke against the Allblacks. 

It's never nice to see injuries, but the bottom line is he won't be missed. Really struggled throughout the series. Mostert and Kwagga were the standouts. Kolisi had his best test in the third test, but I'd still drop him. We can do better. We haven't fielded a great and competitive loose trio in a very long time. 

Well, well, well ou rooitwit recognizing what a fine player PSDT is!!!! H e actually gets one right.

But it couldn't last as he then says the world's best lock, Eben, should be on the bench. I think poor rooitwi thinks Eben is too rough!  

ou rooitwit then does some sterling work reminding the Org of his absurd calls of the past.

so a mixed bag from rooitwit which means an excellent effort form the nutter!

What a joke….play Eben on the bench. Your brain is just fried with drugs and alcohol Peeper.

I’m sorry Dud has picked up another injury but as the numbers clearly show, we did just fine without him.

"I’m sorry Dud has picked up another injury but as the numbers clearly show, we did just fine without him."

but we could have done even better with him...

The numbers don’t say that….quite the opposite.

We could? I suppose his porous defence would have been great during those Lions raids. Nothing Mostert loves more than another overload in his channel because Steph moves like a baby giraffe on ice with brittle bone disease in contact. Those dead-end carries, 29th best in SA in 2019 of all carriers by volume, would have been just the bit of dynamism to open up the game. 

That Steph is so prominent in the mind of Josè and Krutch means very little to me. He has been accurately identified as a below standard flank. 17th best by production doesn't equate to the best in the world. Best player in the world, yet wasn't top 10 at anything in the World Cup. At least Habana equalled a Lomu record and was top try scorer that season, even if he wasn't the actual best Bok. Poster boys Lügnerin. It's a popularity award, you're like a tween girl who actually buys into it.

Bottom line: We don't need Steph, we are a better team without him, especially if we start Dan. Dan actu ally lives out the reputation Steph has. 

"Dan acutally lives out the reputation Steph has."

Yes, he has an astounding list of test achievements....

Steph doesn't have test achievements. Well, unless you consider the most misses tackles of any Bok an achievement. In Dan, we have a player who was a fraction off the output of Thor. Let that sink in for a moment. Steph has never even had 50% of that production at any point in his career. 

LOL!

One thing I notice about AB's they don't cry and have a hissy fit when lose a key player to injury, they just simply adjust and get on with the job...the AB's have their faults and their supporters more but they seldom look for excuses.

Actually I’m surprised more was not made of the Duhan dump tackle…. I was also surprised at the strength of the man.