VIDEO: The injury update that will please Bok coach Rassie

The Sharks will head into their Round 17 United Rugby Championship clash with Ospreys at Kings Park on Friday without several key Springboks.

Scrumhalf Grant Williams, flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse, centre Lukhanyo Am and prop Ox Nche are all listed as unavailable for selection due to injury or illness. (See the team announcement HERE!)

However, coach John Plumtree said most of them will be back before the end of the URC season and could partake in a Bok alignment camp at the end of the month.

That will be good news for Bok coach Rassie Erasmus, who will prepare his team for a season-opening non-cap international against the Barbarians in Cape Town on June 28.

That is followed by home Tests against Italy (July 5, Pretoria) and July 12 (Port Elizabeth), followed by Georgia (July 19, Nelspruit) – before the Rugby Championship gets underway in August.

Williams has been struggling with a neck problem that has sidelined him for some weeks, but Plumtree revealed that he has made good progress and could feature in the Round 18 encounter with Scarlets on May 17.

If he doesn’t recover for next week’s outing, he will be available when the Boks gather for another ‘alignment camp’ during the week building up to the European finals – Champions Cup and Challenge Cup – on May 23 and 24.

“It has been bothering him for several weeks now, so we wanted to give him the best possible chance to recover,” the coach said.

“He has not just play-offs coming for us [the Sharks], but potentially also a big international calendar to get through.”

Apart from Williams, the Sharks’ extended injury list includes other Boks like flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse (back), centre Lukhanyo Am (knee) and prop Ox Nche (illness).

(WATCH as Sharks coach John Plumtree explains the absence of several Springboks….)

“Jordan [Hendrikse] has a back injury that affected his training this week,” Plumtree told @rugby365com, adding: “We chose to rest him.”

The coach revealed that two-time World Cup-winning Bok centre Lukhanyo Am’s knee relates to the vigorous impact of the artificial pitches they encountered on their European tour.

“Lukhanyo [Am] has a little bit of swelling [around the patella], from the 5G pitches and the flight back.

“He had that treated [fluid drained] this week, hoping he is available for next week [against Scarlets].”

If he has not recovered for the Scarlets game, he is expected to be fine for the Bok alignment camp.

Nche has been ill, and with the Friday game, there was not enough time for him to recover.

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* Picture credit: Steve Haag Sport