Ethan Hooker’s shoulder injury looks set to sideline him for the start of the international season. With the Nations Cup looming, who should Rassie Erasmus turn to in the midfield? From Henco van Wyk, pictured, to David Kriel, we look at the contenders ready to step up.
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The dislocated shoulder suffered by Ethan Hooker at the weekend could take about three months of rehabilitation, making his availability for the start of the Springboks’ international season doubtful.
The Boks warm up against the Barbarians on June 20 before kicking off the Nations Cup against England on July 4.
Hooker’s form for the Sharks has been at the top standard he set for himself since he blasted onto the scene last year. He had an outstanding season and won the 2025 SA Rugby Young Player of the Year Award.
We can safely assume that a fit Hooker would be in Rassie Erasmus’ matchday 23 for the big Test matches, especially because in his eight Tests for South Africa, he has started on the left and right wings, at inside centre, and spent time at outside centre. Rassie loves versatility.
The way the Springboks’ backline shaped up last year for the heavyweight encounters suggests that Erasmus will continue with a preferred midfield of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel, while the wing starters will be Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
If the Boks were playing this weekend, and we were looking at back-up for the midfield, Hooker would have been in the picture along with Andre Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie (outside centre). Erasmus knows what he has in Lukhanyo Am and the coach will be keeping an eye on the 28-year-old in Japan.
A No 13 who has put his hand up in the URC is Henco van Wyk, who has promised plenty at the Lions for some time but has been cut down by injuries.
Erasmus has said that he is going to rotate consistently but carefully across a congested season of 14 matches, so the back-up players to the "big guns" will have significant roles to play.
Later in the season, when he is fully recovered, Hooker will definitely start his share of games on the wing as Erasmus takes the load off Kolbe and Arendse. But if Hooker is not around for the Nations Cup matches, there is plenty of talent coming through.
It is a pity, though, that Bulls wing Sebastian de Klerk suffered a season-ending foot injury as he was in excellent form. The Bulls have other strong contenders coming through in the speedy Cheswill Jooste and the powerfully built Stravino Jacobs. The latter is explosive and can also play 13.
It might be a bit soon for pacy Sharks wing-cum-fullbacks Luan Giliomee and Jaco Williams, particularly because the youngsters have missed valuable game-time recently through injury, but they are on the national radar.
The experienced Leolin Zas could do a decent job for Erasmus if there were a plague of injuries, as could the versatile David Kriel, who covers all the back-three positions as well as 13.
A player I rate, but who doesn't seem to be in Rassie’s plans, is the effervescent Werner Kok. I still don’t understand why the Sharks let him go, but Ulster are grateful. The former Blitzbok has been brilliant for the Belfast team.
Edwill van der Merwe of the Sharks is in Rassie’s plans and is likely to feature somewhere along the line in 2026. A Lions back who has impressed in their strong URC season is Angelo Davids. Since moving to Johannesburg from the Stormers, he has blossomed into a devastating finisher.
There is plenty of backline pace and power at Erasmus’s disposal, and we hope that Hooker is soon back from that dreadful injury and heading the pack, putting pressure on Rassie’s favoured starters.