Bok team for All Blacks Test in Cape Town: Kolisi okay to play?

Could Springbok captain Siya Kolisi be passed fit to take on the All Blacks in the teams’ second meeting in the Rugby Championship in Cape Town on Saturday?

That is the big question on everyone’s lips following the news that the Bok team leader took part in a training session at the Cape Town Stadium in Greenpoint on Wednesday morning.

Kolisi, who led the side to a 31-27 win against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday, suffered what appeared to be a broken cheekbone in the match, following a tackle by All Blacks flank Sam Cane.

The World Cup-winning captain soldiered on after the tackle, but left the field with a swollen face before the 80 minutes were up. Kolisi’s cheek didn’t look good after the match and Bok coach Rassie Erasmus said he suspected his team leader had suffered a fracture.

Cape Town training

Visuals of the Boks training on Wednesday at the Cape Town Stadium show Kolisi in action, with the swelling on his face having gone down substantially since the weekend.

Kolisi could thus be in line to take on the All Blacks in a match that, should the Boks win it, will be their fourth in a row against their greatest rivals.

A victory on Saturday would also give the Boks four wins out of four in the Rugby Championship, with just an away and a home game to play against Argentina. The Boks beat Australia twice in Australia at the beginning of the competition.

Erasmus though will think long and hard before risking a player with a probable fractured cheekbone, and he may, in the end, still decide to rest Kolisi for the match. One of Marco van Staden or Kwagga Smith would then come into the team in the No 6 jersey.

The other Bok player to pick up an injury at the weekend, Kurt-Lee Arendse with concussion, is unlikely to feature on Saturday. His place could be taken by Canan Moodie, who was involved in the Boks’ training on Wednesday, while Willie le Roux, Jesse Kriel or Aphelele Fassi could also play out wide.

The obvious replacement, Makazole Mapimpi, is not currently part of the Bok group; he was snapped training with the Sharks in Durban, in preparation for their final round robin Currie Cup game this weekend.

Lock Salmaan Moerat, who was not available last week after suffering concussion in Australia and being forced to rest for two weeks, and Steven Kitshoff, who was not considered for last weekend’s match after only recently returning to action after a long injury layoff, were also in action during the Boks’ session on Wednesday.

Centre Lukhanyo Am, who didn’t feature in last weekend’s Test in Joburg, was involved in media duties on Wednesday, which suggests he, too, could come into the picture for this weekend’s match.

There are also rumours Manie Libbok could get a run again, at flyhalf or from off the bench this weekend.

Erasmus will name his matchday-23 early Thursday morning.