South Africa has called in 2019 winner Lukhanyo Am to replace injured winger Makazole Mapimpi at the Rugby World Cup.
Am, who normally plays centre, is South Africa’s second injury replacement after flyhalf Handre Pollard was brought in when hooker Malcolm Marx was ruled out.
Mapimpi has a fractured eye socket and will be out for four to six weeks, Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said.
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Mapimpi was injured in a tackle by Tonga scrumhalf Augustine Pulu that led to the players clashing heads in Sunday’s Pool B game in Marseille. Mapimpi left the field right after.
Erasmus said Mapimpi might also have a fractured cheekbone.
“It’s sad that something like that happened,” said Erasmus.
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“It was an accident. He has a fractured eye socket, a blow-out fracture. His eye is swollen and the cheekbone is also fractured I think. I think he’s out for four to six weeks.
“We will not just miss him as a brilliant rugby player but what he brings to the team. There is a lot of heart, a lot of honesty.
“He doesn’t say a lot but when he says something everybody listens. He trains hard, communicates beautifully on the field whilst he is really quiet off the field.
“He never moans if he is not selected and helps the young boys who get selected.
“If we get to the final we will definitely fly him back to join the rest of us here.
“The same with the other guys who got injuries and went back to South Africa. It’s sad but that’s the game of rugby. Those collisions happen.”
South Africa beat Tonga 49-18 in its final pool game to move to the brink of the quarterfinals.
The defending champions have to wait for the match between Ireland and Scotland to be certain of a place in the last eight.
The 33-year-old Mapimpi was a Rugby World Cup winner with South Africa in 2019 but came to this tournament as a backup to first-choice wings Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
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Am also was a key part of the Springboks’ 2019 triumph and set up the first try of the final against England for Mapimpi.
Am and Pollard initially missed out on this year’s World Cup squad because of injury but were among a group of players put on standby. Am was back in training after recovering an August knee injury, the Springboks said.