Thursday 19 April 2018 12:52, UK
South Africa captain Warren Whiteley is a major doubt for their June Tests against Wales and England due to a knee injury.
Whiteley, who has missed much of the past year with groin and knee problems, sustained a fresh injury in training on Monday and was made unavailable for his Super Rugby franchise, the Lions, on the advice of an orthopaedic surgeon.
The Lions left for a four-game Australasia tour without Whiteley and no date was given for the player's potential return to action.
"Warren Whiteley has not been medically cleared by the Lions Rugby Company medical team and will not join the Lions on tour until he is medically cleared," his team said in a statement.
The potential absence of the No 8, along with lock Eben Etzebeth, will force the Springboks to select a new captain as they begin a new era under recently appointed coach Rassie Erasmus.
South Africa play Wales in Washington in June before three home tests against England, live on Sky Sports.
