Lions No 9 Morné van den Berg is currently the leading contender for the scrumhalf jersey against England in July following a spate of injuries to the top Springbok scrumhalves.
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COMMENT
Who will wear the Springbok scrumhalf jersey when the Nations Championship arrives in just over two months?
That is the big question floating around, as a sudden half-back injury crisis could leave the South Africans a bit thin in the crucial position ahead of a blockbuster 2026 international rugby season. Right now, Lions half-back Morné van den Berg and Japan-based Faf de Klerk appear to be the clear front-runners for the role following yet another injury setback to veteran Cobus Reinach.
There was little good news on the Reinach front when he hobbled off the field after the Stormers dismantled the Glasgow Warriors in Cape Town this past weekend. He looked back to his old self — full of running and sharp decision-making — after recovering from a previous groin operation, and seemed to be hitting his stride at a crucial stage of the United Rugby Championship (URC).
However, he cut a dejected figure in the changing room after the match, sporting a knee brace, with Stormers director of rugby John Dobson admitting that “it doesn’t look good” for his URC play-off chances. Any serious cruciate ligament injury would almost certainly put him in doubt for the Nations Championship opener against England on 4 July.
Reinach is not the only concern. Sharks scrumhalf Grant Williams is also sidelined, while Jaden Hendrikse has suffered another concussion — his second in the space of a month.
Those repeated head knocks could well affect his availability. He was stretchered off against the Bulls in early March and again against Edinburgh on Friday evening in Scotland.
The World Cup-winning scrumhalf has been brought back into the Springbok plans this year, but it would likely be wiser to stand him down for a couple of months following his latest injury.
Meanwhile, De Klerk has also earned a Bok recall. After dealing with injury earlier this season, he is back in action in Japan’s League One — a welcome development for head coach Rassie Erasmus.
Should Reinach, Williams and Hendrikse remain sidelined over the coming weeks, the world champions may be left with only Van den Berg and De Klerk as recognised international No 9 options. De Klerk — who recently signed for the Cheetahs — has reminded everyone of his quality with a series of commanding performances for the Canon Eagles.
With depth suddenly looking thin, Erasmus could be tempted to revisit the option of Embrose Papier, who has enjoyed an impressive season with the Bulls. While he endured a difficult outing as they edged past the Ospreys in a crucial URC clash, he has shown enough to suggest he could still offer value at international level.
For now, though, the situation may present a major opportunity for Van den Berg to gain valuable experience ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup as the Springboks begin a pivotal 2026 campaign.