{
  "id": 1889690,
  "title": "Kolisi and Nche ‘tracking pretty well’ for Springbok return, says Jones",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/kolisi-and-nche-tracking-pretty-well-for-springbok-return-says-jones",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-19T07:46:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/rugby/kolisi-and-nche-tracking-pretty-well-for-springbok-return-says-jones/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Springbok assistant coach Felix Jones suggested that captain Siya Kolisi and prop Ox Nche are \"tracking pretty well\" for their potential return to the national team. Both players were initially under serious consideration, but were put on the backburner due to injury concerns. However, on Monday, coach Rassie Erasmus indicated that if they successfully completed training, they would be considered for selection. Jones echoed this sentiment on Tuesday, stating that they could both feature on the team sheet if selected. Kolisi, who missed the season's first Test against England with a hamstring injury, has only played 24 minutes of international rugby this season. Nche, sidelined by a knee injury in the England match, has been absent from the team since. Despite their recovery progress, Jones noted that it's still too early to determine their starting positions, as it depends on their performance in subsequent training sessions. The Boks possess ample backup options for both players, with Paul de Villiers, Marco van Staden, and Deon Fourie ready to step in if Kolisi is unavailable. If Nche misses out, Gerhard Steenekamp and Boan Venter are the frontrunners. Jones emphasized that both teams would be well-prepared for the upcoming Test against the All Blacks, with New Zealand having competed in three franchise matches while the Boks gave their returning players ample game time against Argentina. \"I don’t think any preparation really replicates the level of intensity you’re going to experience when New Zealand plays South Africa,\" Jones said. \"But I think both teams would say going into this game that they feel prepared.\"",
  "summary": "But, neither player has featured much this season and it would not be a surprise if they didn't make the matchday-23.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}