Stormers flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed may face an early exit from the Springbok tour of Europe after picking up a shoulder injury in Turin, SA Rugby magazine reported. The 20-year-old rookie missed Monday’s training session ahead of the opening match of the Nations Championship, casting doubt on his availability for the remainder of the side’s northern hemisphere campaign.
Shoulder Injury Threatens Rookie Tour
Ahmed earned selection as one of six uncapped players in the Springbok squad following strong domestic performances in the United Rugby Championship, where he scored three tries in his last two appearances for the Stormers. He also represented South Africa A and helped the Junior Boks claim the Junior World Championship earlier this year. However, his physical readiness came into question when he reported discomfort in his shoulder ahead of Monday’s session.
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Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus addressed the setback after naming an experienced match 23 for the tour opener that omitted any Test debutants.
“The doctor told me he is a bit sore,” Erasmus said on Monday. “I saw him, and he was honest with me and told me he had a sore shoulder. Normally new players would try and hide an injury a bit; he was nice and honest.”
Squad Integration Versus Match Fitness
“It doesn’t help he’s here, and players just watch the guys training; we want them to participate,” Erasmus said. “But obviously if a player stays a few days and feels out the environment a little bit, starts understanding how we do things and talk to Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu], Aphelele Fassi and those guys, that would be great.”
Medical Assessment and Return Decision
The coaching staff intends to evaluate Ahmed’s condition definitively before determining whether he will board a flight back to South Africa.
“If we need somebody and he can’t play, we’ll make the call whether he has to return to South Africa,” Erasmus said. “It looks like he’ll have to go back home and go for a scan or two, but we’ll make that call tomorrow morning.”
Springbok Tour Questions
Why is Yaqeen Ahmed in Europe with the Springboks?
The 20-year-old Stormers flyhalf earned selection as one of six uncapped players for the European leg of the Nations Championship following strong performances in the United Rugby Championship.
What did Rassie Erasmus say about the injury?
Erasmus revealed that Ahmed was honest about his sore shoulder rather than trying to hide it, noting that the team will decide on Tuesday morning whether the player needs to return home for scans.
Were any Test debutants named in the opening match 23?
No Test debutants were included in the experienced matchday squad selected by Erasmus for the tour opener.
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