Springbok eighthman Pierre Spies is set to miss the rest of the 2013 rugby season after tearing a bicep muscle against Samoa this past weekend.
Spies is set to undergo surgery today to rectify the tear and will be out until the start of the 2014 Super Rugby season.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer gave Willem Alberts 40 minutes at eighthman against Samoa, but will in all likelihood have Duane Vermeulen and Ryan Kankowski available for selection against Argentina in the first round.

Spies to be out for 6 months…..
Vermeulen and Kanko country miles better than Spies anyway….as is the Kings Engelbrecht….This is no train smash, reality is Spies has been a liability for a while now when playing for Boks in my opinion.
@grant10 (Comment 2) : Have to agree with you there. All of the physical attributes that anybody could want but doesn’t have the mentality to be a forward!
Does anybody know if Lappies Labuschagne can play eighthman?? He’s very dynamic and would bring the hard edge we need as well as a good workrate, tackling and ball skills.
For Rugby Championship squad Meyer should try and fix the Brussow issue by using Vermeulen and Kolisi at 8 and F Louw and Brussow as openside options…..this in a squad concept.
Right now if F Louw catches a cold Boks get pneumonia…..not a healthy situation to only have 1 proper openside option with no specialist back up.
@grant10 (Comment 4) : Lappies at eighthman with Flouw and Brussouw on the flanks.
If we then also had Coenie at loosehead and Bismarck at hooker we’d be untouchable at the breakdown!! Coenie is also a better ball-carrier than Beast.
If we then went a step further and played Robert Ebersohn as our inside or outside centre (with either JJ Ebgelbrecht outside him or Jan Serfontein inside him) we’d have a 5th ball-stealer/fetcher on the field!! Sadly I don’t think we’ll ever see that!
@grant10 (Comment 1) :
How does a torn bicep muscle rule him out for six months??
He is out for the Super Rugby season, that’s it..
Article in Beeld says 6months….. I think.
Vodacom Bulls captain Pierre Spies will be out for the
rest of the 2013 rugby season after tearing a bicep
muscle on Saturday while playing for the Springboks
against Samoa in the Castle Lager Incoming Series.
Direct quote from Supersport.
my apologies..
correcting article..
He might actually heal super fast and be ready for the November tours 😉
Poor guy. Hope it comes right quickly, Pierre.
@grant10 (Comment 2) : What about vd Walt, he has been playing well for the Cheetahs in super 15 as well.
No train smash!!! There’s beter players than him that will now get their chance!!!!