Bok coach expresses concern over Du Toit's injury
REACTION: While the Springboks will be celebrating their 27-9 victory over the British and Irish Lions in the second Test, there will also be some concern for star loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit.
After being tipped in a tackle by B&I Lions wing Duhan van der Merwe early in the first half, Du Toit was visibly in pain and he was eventually replaced by Albertus ‘Kwagga’ Smith in the 20th minute.
During the online post-match press conference, Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber confirmed that Du Toit suffered a shoulder injury.
“I haven’t seen him come off a lot,” said Nienaber. “But the assessment hasn’t been done by the medical team.
“It will probably be 48 hours then you will have a proper diagnosis after the tests have been done on him. Then we will have a proper idea of what is going on.
“He is not normally a guy who comes off in a game.”
‘We will give it everything’
Meanwhile, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said there was a lot of hard work behind the scenes which contributed to the win.
“This is special. It has been a tough week – the toughest week I have ever had to face,” said Kolisi.
“I am grateful to the management and coaches we have for making us focus on the mistakes we made [last weekend]. We fight together as a team and it came through for us.
“We did not worry about mistakes and the injuries, we just gave 100 percent. We will enjoy this but the work is not done. It is all or nothing next week.
“You have got to trust in the system, trust in the guys around you. We have been in a bubble, but we are thinking of the (South African) people.
“There is one more week and we will give it everything.”
