Lood grounded by heart condition

The chest problem that kept Lood de Jager out of the Springbok squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup is reportedly a minor heart condition that could keep the lock sidelined for up to four weeks.

De Jager was surprisingly omitted from the squad for the World Cup in France, with Jacques Nienaber refusing to go into too much detail, only saying that the second-rower was struggling with a “chest problem”.

Limited game-time

The Bok lineout commander has only played 41 minutes this year – against the All Blacks in Auckland. He was set to start in the warm-up match against Argentina in Buenos Aires, but withdrew with an undisclosed illness.

According to Sunday newspaper Rapport, De Jager is suffering from pericarditis, a minor heart condition which a player can develop from exercising when sick with the cold or flu.

De Jager was reportedly only struggling with his sinus in Buenos Aires, but did feel lame after a couple of training sessions and had “brown mucus”. After feeling particularly tired after his last training session, he went to see the doctor.

The condition is not serious and is only expected to keep De Jager out for up to four weeks. However, he has to rest during this period and is not allowed to walk at full pace.

De Jager was included in the nine-player standby list and will be an option if the Springboks suffer any injuries at the World Cup.

This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.