Springbok captain Warren Whiteley is progressing well and on track to make his comeback from injury in their end-of-year Tests.
Whiteley hasn't played since injuring his knee during the June Test series against France for which he subsequently underwent surgery.
And although the 30-year-old won't be available for the Boks' remaining Rugby Championship Test matches with Australia and New Zealand, he is on course to return for the November internationals in which the Springboks play Ireland, France and Italy.
“Warren Whiteley is on track. He is continuing with his rehab but obviously won’t be available for the Rugby Championship and we are looking more to the end of the year tour. The good news is Ross Cronje has recovered from his viral illness and has is taking part in training,” Dr Von Hagen told journalists at the team’s base.
Meanwhile, Jaco Kriel is expected to be sidelined for a further six months and Coenie Oosthuizen for six more weeks.
“The most recent one is Jaco Kriel. He had an operation last week, quite an extensive shoulder injury and he will be out for around six months. That is unfortunate for us, but he is being taken care of at the Lions, and is in rehab,” the Springbok team doctor said.
“Secondly Coenie – it is now two weeks after the fracture of his forearm, and he should be out for another six weeks. That is luckily not a really long-term injury.
“From the guys that are with the squad right now, we don’t have any fitness concerns, so we are happy we have a fit and healthy squad to choose from.”
When Van Hagen was asked whether that meant that Whiteley is ready for the next tour, the doctor smiled and said the affirmative.
“Yes, definitely. Luckily it is just now the final phase of his rehab and then it is just a matter of getting him fit.”
And Dr Von Hagen also expressed his delight with Handré Pollard’s progress.
“He has done really really well. We’ve put him through a number of paces during his last few weeks with us. He has done double and triple what everyone else has done, just to work on the fitness element. But from his injury, his ankle – we don’t even speak about it anymore and it is not a problem at all – the same with the other old injuries that he had. He is in a very good space.”
The Boks choose their side to face Australia on Thursday.
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