Salmaan Moerat set to miss Springboks' matches as Western Province sweat over Zain Davids

While Western Province are still sweating over the fitness of captain and flanker Zain Davids ahead of their match against the Cheetahs, it also looks like they will be without Springbok Salmaan Moerat for the remainder of the Currie Cup.

On Monday, Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus revealed that Moerat was set to make his first appearance for Western Province in the Currie Cup this weekend in Bloemfontein. However, the Bok lock suffered a knee injury at training and is now doubtful for the rest of Province’s domestic campaign, as well as the Springboks’ Rugby Championship matches.

Moerat is one of a handful of Springboks outside the current squad who were sent back to their unions to get some game time in the Currie Cup. But Erasmus let slip that Moerat is currently sidelined.

“We’ve cut the squad a little bit, but when we have meetings, we’ve still got guys like Jaden [Hendrikse], Faf [de Klerk], Mapiemps (Makazole Mapimpi) joining virtually. Salmaan, unfortunately, got injured last week. He would have played this week [for Western Province in the Currie Cup],” said Erasmus.

WP backline coach Dewaldt Duvenage said on Tuesday that they don’t yet have an update on Moerat, but feared “he would be out for the Springboks”.

Moerat’s injury is a blow for a Province team in desperate need of experience and star quality after losing their first three Currie Cup matches with a squad made up mostly of club players, Junior Springboks, and a few Springbok Sevens stars.

Davids suffered a knee injury in WP’s 47–17 defeat to Griquas in Kimberley last Friday. The initial prognosis wasn’t promising, but Duvenage says they remain hopeful that the Sevens Bok will be available for the trip to Bloemfontein.

Davids was set to undergo a fitness test on Tuesday to determine whether he would make the trip to face the Cheetahs.