Bok captain Kolisi on track with knee injury recovery, but grim news for Frans Steyn

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi remains on track to be fit for the team's Rugby World Cup defence, but the outlook is rather grim for utility back Frans Steyn.

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Speaking at Wednesday's press briefing in Pretoria, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber said their captain, who'll have his lieutenants filling in for him in the Rugby Championship, is meeting all his targets in his recovery from a knee injury.

The same couldn't be said of Steyn, with Nienaber saying the double World Cup-winning utility back is still at an unclear stage of his rehabilitation.

Nienaber also gave wing Kurt-Lee Arendse the all-clear after the Bulls wing sustained a knee injury against Stormers in the United Rugby Championship quarter-final in Cape Town on 6 May.

Arendse took part in Wednesday afternoon's training session at Loftus Versfeld's B-Field while Kolisi, who was the first person off the bus when the team arrived at 416 Kirkness Street, had a strapped-up knee and spent most of the 15 minutes open to the media inside the gym.

"Siya's hitting all of his targets that are set out for him, so he is on track," Nienaber said.

"I think we're aiming for the warm-up games, with Kurt-Lee set to join us at training, but in speaking to Frans a week ago, he was still seeing the specialist."

The Bok mentor added: "I can't comment on what their decision will be, but I think it'll be extremely tough for him (Steyn) to get in for the Rugby Championship medically.

"He's probably the guy who has been out the longest, but he said himself he didn't see himself ready to be in training and ready for the Rugby Championship.

SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus further brightened up the