Cheslin Kolbe injury rules him out of Springboks' Nations Championship tour

Cheslin Kolbe will not travel with the Springboks to Europe next month. The jaw he broke in September has been slower to heal than first expected, and his return now looks set for December, in Stormers colours.

John Dobson, director of rugby at the Stormers, confirmed that the double World Cup winner will miss the Springboks' end-of-year Nations Championship tour. Kolbe will be available to his club from the start of December. Dobson expects him to come back in the return URC coastal derby against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday 5 December 2026.

"I’m sure the Springboks are going to miss him on the end-of-year tour," Dobson said. He would not rule out an appearance later in the tour, but said he did not know whether that could happen.

A complicated recovery

Kolbe broke his jaw in the third Test of the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks in Soweto on Saturday 5 September 2026. He was first expected to be out for two months. His agent, Matt Norton, said the injury turned out to be a double fracture, which made his rehabilitation harder than anyone had planned for.

"The top part of the fracture was too close to his facial nerves. That delayed his return to play, because the bone had to fuse naturally," Norton said.

Four matches without him

The tour starts against Italy at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Saturday 7 November 2026. The Springboks then meet France at the Stade de France on Friday 13 November 2026 and Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday 21 November 2026. After those three Tests comes one more match on the Nations Championship finals weekend in London, where the round-robin results will decide the opponent.

The South African reported that, with Kolbe out, the Springboks will most likely use Ethan Hooker on the wing, and that Canan Moodie and Edwill van der Merwe are other options. The same outlet reported that long-term injuries will probably keep Kwagga Smith and RG Snyman out of the tour, and that there is doubt over Eben Etzebeth.