‘We really care about our players,’ said the Boks’ director of rugby, adding that the coaches called for multiple head injury assessments against France
‘We really care about our players,’ says Boks’ director of rugbySouth Africa’s director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus, says he and his coaching team called for multiple head injury assessments during the second half of Sunday’s quarter-final triumph against France because “there is life after rugby” and they are serious about prioritising the safety of their players whatever is at stake in the match.
In a media briefing on Monday, Erasmus was unsure whether the HIA for the No 8, Vermeulen, was requested by the matchday doctor or by the Springboks’ team doctor. World Rugby confirmed that the team doctor, the matchday doctor and the referee are permitted to remove a player for an HIA. “And obviously you could see when Pieter-Steph made a head contact, we had to do a HIA there, it was straight head-to-head, and then the same, I think Duane Vermeulen was actually called by the matchday doctor.” Clarification has been requested from the Springboks and World Rugby on who requested the Vermeulen HIA.“Then I think Bongi was definitely … he got a bad knock against his head,” Erasmus said of the hooker who was removed from the action with five minutes remaining.
South Africa opted for a 5-3 split of forwards to backs in their replacements and were left with no bench cover for Mbonambi at hooker after Deon Fourie’s introduction in the back row for the captain, Siya Kolisi, after 46 minutes. Fourie switched to hooker after Mbonambi’s HIA withdrawal with Vermeulen, Du Toit and Kwagga Smith in the back row.“I’m not sure if they had any HIAs,” Erasmus said.
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