Photo: Photosport
South Africa have called up centre Lukhanyo Am as an injury replacement for wing Makazole Mapimpi, adding the 2019 World Cup winner to their squad for the current tournament in France, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Mapimpi was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with a facial fracture sustained in the 49-18 victory over Tonga on Sunday that took the Springboks to the brink of a quarter-final place.
Am is a key creative player for the side but was suffering with a knee injury when the squad was announced on Aug. 8. Head coach Jacques Nienaber said at the time Am could be called on at a later stage should they need a replacement.
He is the second medical switch for the Boks after hooker Malcolm Marx was ruled out with a knee problem, allowing Handre Pollard to return to the squad. He played his first minutes against Tonga.
Jesse Kriel was the only specialist outside centre in the squad prior to Am's return, though young Canan Moodie has been covering the number 13 and 14 jerseys at the tournament.
South Africa will earn a quarter-final place unless Scotland beat Ireland by 21 points or more and the latter get a bonus point for four tries when the teams meet in Paris on Saturday.
Erasmus announcement
"Makazole is out of the World Cup," Erasmus told reporters.
"We know who we want to replace him, I would love to tell you who it is but we first need to notify World Rugby.
"It is very sad, it was an accident, but he has a fractured eye socket and he is out for four to six weeks. We will miss him because he is a brilliant rugby player and a fantastic person."
While no longer first choice in the side, Mapimpi has bags of experience having played a central role in South Africa's 2019 World Cup victory in Japan.
"If we get to the final we will fly him back to join us here. It is sad but that is the game of rugby, these collisions happen," Erasmus added.
South Africa must wait until Saturday's game between Ireland and Scotland in Paris to learn their quarter-final fate, but are in a strong position.
The only way they can be knocked out of the tournament is if Scotland beat top-ranked Ireland by 21 points or more and the latter get a bonus point for tries scored.
If Scotland win by eight points or more with no Irish bonus point then they and South Africa advance.
"We would rather sit here than be Ireland, who have been number one in the world all this time and Scotland just have to beat them by eight points and they are out of the tournament," he said.
"Of the three teams, we are probably the most comfortable."
- Reuters