Tuesday 02nd October 2007
Tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis, who earlier this week received a 'miracle' Rugby World Cup call-up, is set for an even bigger gift when he is named in the Springbok starting XV to face Fiji in Sunday's RWC quarter-final at Stade Velodrome in Marseille.
The Springbok management on Tuesday confirmed that prop CJ van der Linde has been ruled out of the first weekend of play-off matches with a "bruised right knee", but he will not be returning home.
Van der Linde is the second Bok tighthead prop since Sunday to suffer a knee injury, with fellow tighthead BJ Botha returning to South Africa after damaging knee ligaments in the 64-15 victory over the United States at the weekend.
"CJ [van der Linde] hurt his knee during practice on Tuesday in the Stade Jean Bouin, Marseille," read a statement from the Bok management.
Coach Jake White confirmed that van der Linde would not be playing this weekend, although he will be "managed in camp" and is expected to recover in time to be in a position to participate in the semi-finals and possible final.
Du Plessis - who is expected to arrive in Marseille on Wednesday as a replacement for Botha - will step off the plane and onto the training field.
White also told the media in Marseille that Du Plessis was being considered as the starting tighthead, with the only other fit props - Os du Randt and Gurthro Steenkamp - both being specialist looseheads.
"Jannie [du Plessis] will have to start," White said.
"Gurthro [Steenkamp] will come on to the bench and we also have [hooker and captain] John Smit who can move over to prop if Jannie doesn't last the 80 minutes."
While coach White tried to remain positive about the situation, veteran prop Os du Randt was more realistic about first losing Botha and then Van der Linde in a matter of days.
"Suddenly losing two of our best tightheads is always a concern," Du Randt, a veteran of the victorious 1995 World Cup-winning Bok team, said.
"Injuries are part of the game. We have to adapt and make the best of a sad story."
Du Randt said he would be willing to move to the tighthead side if it became necessary, but he added: "I hope I won't have to.
"I have probably played at tighthead for no more than 30 or 40 minutes in my whole career. I am not comfortable on that side."
Du Plessis will join his younger brother, hooker Bismarck, in the matchday 22 to face Fiji, with the explosive Bismarck expected to start off the bench as captain Smit's understudy.
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