JOHANNESBURG Oct 28 (Reuters) – Winger Bryan Habana has been ruled out of the Springboks’ November tests with a knee injury and is the biggest absentee from the 31-man squad announced by South Africa on Sunday.
Habana, South Africa’s leading test try-scorer with 47, injured his knee during Saturday’s Currie Cup final.
Five uncapped players have been called up while South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer also selected four Europe-based players with hooker Schalk Brits (Saracens), flanker Francois Louw (Bath), scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar (Ulster), and prop Gurthro Steenkamp (Toulouse) all included.
South Africa will play three tests starting against Ireland on Nov. 10 in Dublin before taking on Scotland on Nov. 17 and England a week later.
Nineteen-year-old wing Raymond Rhule is the youngest of the new caps and he is joined by scrumhalf Jano Vermaak, lock Franco van der Merwe, utility back Lionel Mapoe and number eight Arno Botha.
Meyer said that his hand in selection had been forced by an ever-lengthening injury list which includes hooker Bismarck du Plessis, lock Andries Bekker, loose forwards Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Heinrich Brussow and Pierre Spies, flyhalf Johan Goosen, inside centre Frans Steyn and Habana.
“Obviously losing so many players to injury… makes it difficult, but this now provides opportunities for other players,” Meyer said in a statement.
Meyer explained that the inclusion of Brits, who played the last of his three tests in 2008, and Steenkamp would add some much needed experience.
“Gurthro and Schalk are experienced front rankers who have played for South Africa before and know the conditions in the Northern Hemisphere. This tour provides a good opportunity to assess them as we plan ahead,” he said.
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