Neck injury puts Bath flanker Francois Louw out of the South Africa autumn internationals

Heyneke Meye has named his 36-man squad for the tour of Britain and Italy

Chris Hewett
Monday 27 October 2014 20:33 GMT
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Francois Louw in action for South Africa
Francois Louw in action for South Africa

South Africa have given up hope of the Bath flanker Francois Louw recovering from a neck injury in time to play a part in their tour of the British Isles and Italy next month. Louw was omitted from a 36-strong Springbok party named by head coach Heyneke Meyer on Monday and there was no clear indication of when he might resume his club career at the Recreation Ground, where fit back-rowers are in very short supply.

Meyer is sticking with the body of the squad that competed strongly in the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship, ending with a last-kick win over the All Blacks. There are five uncapped players in the group: the Western Province flanker Nizaam Carr; the Golden Lions front-rowers Robbie Coetzee and Julian Redelinghuys; another Lions forward in the back-rower Jaco Kriel; and the wing Seabelo Senatla, who has been drafted in from the international seven-a-side circuit.

Ruan Pienaar, the brilliant Ulster scrum-half, will take part in the tour if he passes a fitness test on joining up with the squad in Dublin next week ahead of the meeting with Ireland.

Wales will await scan results on centre Jonathan Davies’ shoulder before taking stock of his autumn Test prospects. He was hurt during Clermont Auvergne’s European Champions Cup win over Sale on Sunday. It added to a worrying weekend for head coach Warren Gatland after fellow squad centres, Scarlets’ Scott Williams and Cardiff’s Cory Allen, reported hamstring and leg issues, respectively.

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