Bok skipper Kolisi desperate for game time in warm-ups

Captain Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche and Jaden Hendrikse are desperate for game time after title-holders South Africa arrived in Britain on Sunday to continue their 2023 Rugby World Cup preparations.

The trio missed the first four matches of the Springboks season in July and August against Australia, New Zealand and Argentina (twice) due to injuries and a bereavement.

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There are two more chances for them to demonstrate fitness and form as South Africa face Wales in Cardiff on 19 August and New Zealand in London on 25 August in warm-up internationals.

Kolisi suffered a serious knee injury in April, with medical experts initially despondent about his chances of featuring in the September 8-October 28 World Cup in France.

But the flanker has defied the odds, making a quicker-than-expected recovery and said this weekend that he was "over the injury and wanted as many minutes as possible on the field".

If fit, Kolisi is a certain back-row starter in the World Cup opener against Scotland on 10 September, probably with fellow flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit and No. 8 Duane Vermeulen.

Prop Nche, who will contest the loose-head place with Steven Kitshoff, sustained a chest injury while training for the season opener against Australia.

Scrumhalf Hendrikse battled a shoulder injury and then left the Pretoria training base temporarily to mourn the loss of his father, Brian.

Faf de Klerk, one of 21 Springboks from the 2019 World Cup-winning squad in Japan who are going to France, is the first-choice scrum-half.

But it is hard to separate expert box-kicker Hendrikse, dynamic Grant Williams, and experienced Cobus Reinach in the contest to be the reserve No. 9.

Unexpected decision