South Africa have been dealt a blow ahead of their Rugby Championship opener against Australia at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday, with Aphiwe Dyantyi having been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Dyatyi sustained the injury during training on Friday.
The Springboks star, who won the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year Award in 2018, has returned to the Johannesburg-based Golden Lions, with whom he will undergo a rehabilitation program.
He will see a specialist on Monday, after which a timeframe for a return to action will be known.
He seems likely also to miss the Springboks' second Rugby Championship Test against New Zealand in Wellington on July 27.
Springboks management confirmed that they would not call for a replacement as they have sufficient cover in the training squad, who are currently in camp in Johannesburg.
Cheslin Kolbe, Dillyn Leyds, Makazole Mapimpi and S'busiso Nkosi are options already in the squad who might replace Dyantyi.
Dyantyi made his international debut last year and scored six tries in 13 tests, including a brace in Wellington as South Africa recorded a famous win over the world champion All Blacks.