Overview
- Both Morné van den Berg and Ruan Venter were operated on Wednesday and team doctors reported the surgeries went well.
- Van den Berg, the Springbok scrumhalf, is expected to be sidelined for four to six months and will miss the Lions’ URC playoffs.
- Venter will be out for roughly six to nine months after knee surgery, ruling him out of the immediate knockout schedule and likely much of the Test season.
- The Lions are in Dublin for their first URC quarter-final against Leinster while captain Francke Horn and Henco van Wyk have resumed light running and may be available.
- Springbok selectors face a depth squeeze with van den Berg absent and are considering call-ups such as Embrose Papier and Haashim Pead, creating immediate chances for younger players and shaping squad plans for the Nations Championship and the Greatest Rivalry fixtures.