Monday 29 June 2015 20:44, UK
South Africa scrum-half Fourie du Preez faces up to six weeks on the sidelines after tearing medial collateral ligaments in his knee.
The 2007 World Cup-winner, seen as a certainty for a starting place if fit, was injured in training with his Japanese club.
He is one of 15 players receiving treatment as the Springboks gathered in Johannesburg to start their preparations for Rugby Championship and the World Cup, which starts in September.
Coach Heyneke Meyer put on a brave face but admitted the injuries could disrupt his meticulous planning.
"I'm very excited to get going - it's been a long few months since our last match, but we've worked incredibly hard behind the scenes and done an unbelievable amount of research and planning," Meyer said.
"It would've been great to hit the ground running with a fit squad, but because of the situation we're in, we will have to use our next five matches before the Rugby World Cup to experiment with our depth and see where we need cover, which could mean players outside the current squad can still force their way in.
"Managing the injured players will be tough and I really hope we can give as many of them as possible enough game time so that they are in peak physical condition for the World Cup."
We will have to use our next five matches before the Rugby World Cup to experiment with our depth and see where we need cover
Locks Lood de Jager (elbow) and Pieter-Steph du Toit (knee), flankers Heinrich Brssow (arm), Schalk Burger (groin) and Duane Vermeulen (neck), scrum-half Cobus Reinach (hand), fly-half Patrick Lambie (neck), centres Jean de Villiers (knee), Jan Serfontein (hip and knee) and Frans Steyn (pectoral muscle), and wing Lionel Mapoe (knee) are also all currently receiving treatment.
Other concerns for Meyer were prop Coenie Oosthuizen, who underwent recent surgery on his neck and has not joined the squad, centre Jaque Fourie, undergoing a strict conditioning programme in the coming weeks, and flanker Willem Alberts - withdrawn from the first training session because of an ankle niggle.
South Africa are in Pool B along with Japan, Samoa, Scotland and United States.
