World Cup-winning lock RG Snyman will most likely miss the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions after suffering burns in a fireside accident in Ireland.
WORLD Cup-winning lock RG Snyman has only a “small chance” of being fit to play the British and Irish Lions after it emerged that the burns he suffered in a fireside accident in Ireland were more severe than first thought.
Snyman, his Bok teammate Damian de Allende and two other Munster players were burned when a petrol canister caught fire at an end-of-season social gathering, and while De Allende’s recovery is on course and he is expected to play against the Lions, the lanky lock’s recovery has taken a turn for the worse and he has left the Bok camp for further treatment.
The burns to Snyman’s knee have reportedly not healed as quickly as anticipated and a specialist has suggested he undergo a skin transplant.
The first Test against the Lions is just under three weeks away (July 24), so the chances of Snyman being match-ready are slim.
On Sunday, Springbok forwards coach Deon Davids confirmed that Snyman was no longer with the Boks.
“At this stage, I think there will be a small chance that RG will be part of the British and Irish Lions Test series, but he will definitely return for the remaining Test fixtures in the Rugby Championship and end-of-year tour,” Davids said, all but eliminating Snyman from the Lions series.
In another concern over the second-row depth, Eben Etzebeth left the field in the Georgia match because of a rib injury.
“Eben got a rib injury on Friday. He was assessed and was quite fine this morning,” Davids said. “The medical team is still assessing him. The head coach will then make a decision on his availability for this weekend. Maybe in a day or two, we will have a final call on him.”
