Star Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe is not playing for his Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath due to a hand injury.
Due to his hand brace, Kolbe was unable to participate in Suntory’s 62-0 triumph over the Black Rams over the weekend.
Suntory, a Tokyo-based team, has won six of their last eight games to take third place in Japan League One.
Over the weekend, the two-time World Cup champion filmed an advertisement for Mamelodi Sundowns, the dominant soccer team in South Africa, in which the brace was prominently displayed.
Kolbe’s fitness will be closely monitored by Springbok management, but he should be well enough to play in the July home series against Ireland.
On March 5–6, the Boks will have an alignment camp. Kolbe’s name was absent from the roster of the 43 players scheduled to meet in Cape Town.
Cheslin Kolbe may be sidelined for a month following an injury he sustained while playing for Suntory Sungoliath in Japan.
Kolbe did not play in Suntory’s 62-0 triumph over Black Rams last weekend, but the other World Cup-winning Springboks were competing in Japan’s League One.
Reputable journalist Rich Freeman, who is located in Japan, reports that the Springbok outside back has had a hand injury that may require four to six weeks of recovery time.
Suntory Sungoliath, who are currently third in the table after winning six of their last eight games, will suffer greatly from Kolbe’s injury, but on the plus side, he should be ready for the Springboks versus Ireland series in July.
, the captain of the All Blacks, is also expected to miss about ten weeks of action due to a back ailment.
