Springboks winger Makazole was injured and has suffered a fractured eye socket, sidelining him for four to six weeks. #RWC2023

Boks coach Rassie Erasmus reported that Mapimpi would return home after suffering a tournament-ending injury in the match and that they would announce a replacement in the next few days.

 

“We are sad for Mapimpi,” said the coach. “He fractured his eye socket and cheekbone, so he’ll be out for four to six weeks. We’ll miss him as a player and what he brings to the team off the field. But if we get to the final, we’ll fly him and Malcolm Marx back.”

The team will receive a well-deserved break on Monday and Tuesday to rest and recover from the pool stages of the competition and will resume their rugby programme on Wednesday.

 

Video: Super Sport

 

Super Sport confirms that “Mapimpi was sent off for a Head Injury Assessment and was replaced by Jesse Kriel. Afterwards coach Jacques Nienaber said that he had suffered “a blowout fracture of his cheekbone”.

Mapimpi was playing his second game for the World Cup after scoring a hat-trick against Romania in his first outing.

On Monday SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus said it was sad that they had to lose Mapimpi.

“It’s sad that something like that happened. It was an accident. He has a fractured eye socket, a blow-out fracture. His eye is swollen and the cheekbone is also fractured I think. I think he’s out for four to six weeks.”

Erasmus added that the Boks would miss Mapimpi, even though he had been surpassed by other wingers in the squad. Erasmus paid tribute to Mapimpi’s team ethic and the way he helped other players.

“We will not just miss him as a brilliant rugby player but what he brings to the team. There is a lot of heart, a lot of honesty. He doesn’t say a lot but when he says something everybody listens. He trains hard, communicates beautifully on the field while he is really quiet off the field. He never moans if he is not selected and helps the young boys who get selected.”

 

South Africa’s squad after Am’s inclusion as announced on Super Super: 

Forwards

Prop

Steven Kitshoff (Ulster – 74 caps, 10 points)

Vincent Koch (Cell C Sharks – 45 caps, 0 points)

Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers – 61 caps, 5 points)

Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks – 19 caps, 0 points)

Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92 – 61 caps, 5 points)

Hooker

Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks – 60 caps, 60 points)

Second-row

Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks – 112 caps, 25 points)

Jean Kleyn (Munster – 2 caps, 0 points)

Marvin Orie (Perpignan – 14 caps, 0 points)

RG Snyman (Munster – 26 caps, 5 points)

Flanker

Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz – 69 caps, 30 points)

Siya Kolisi (captain – Racing 92 – 75 caps, 45 points)

Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs – 33 caps, 25 points)

Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls – 12 caps, 0 points)

Duane Vermeulen (SA Rugby – 68 caps, 15 points)

Jasper Wiese (Leicester – 22 caps, 5 points)

Utility forward

Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers – 7 caps, 0 points)

Franco Mostert (Honda Heat – 65 caps, 15 points)

Backs

Scrum-half

Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles – 48 caps, 44 points)

Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks – 12 caps, 12 points)

Cobus Reinach (Montpelllier – 25 caps, 45 points)

Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks – 4 caps, 0 points)

Fly-half

Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers – 7 caps, 45 points)

Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers – 31 caps, 36 points)

Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers – 65 caps, 665 points)

Centre

Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights – 72 caps, 50 points)

Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins – 13 caps, 0 points)

Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles – 61 caps, 60 points)

Lukhanyo Am

Wing / full back

Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls – 10 caps, 50 points)

Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath – 25 caps, 81 points)

Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls – 86 caps, 65 points)

Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls – 6 caps, 10 points)

Changes in bold. Players replaced from original squad of 33: Malcolm Marx, Makazole Mapimpi